Brady Condemns Tennessee Bill to Arm Teachers

There is no evidence to support arming teachers as a solution to end gun violence or thwart attacks. There is far more evidence to support the dangers of introducing firearms into the classroom.

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2023 – Brady, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization, responds in outrage to a new Tennessee bill to arm teachers that is headed to the governor’s desk. The bill, HB 1202, allows a faculty or staff member at a school under the jurisdiction of a Tennessee local education agency to carry a concealed firearm on campus. While conditions require background checks and training, there is no safe storage requirement.

Kris Brown, President of Brady, said:

“The Tennessee legislator has just dishonored all who were killed at the Covenant School shooting last year by choosing to promote the proliferation of firearms in classrooms.

“There is no evidence to suggest that arming teachers will keep children safe from gun violence. Multiple teachers were armed at Covenant Day School, yet that was not enough to stop six children and school employees from being murdered.

“HB 1202 is especially egregious as it has no safe storage requirements, meaning firearms could potentially fall into a child’s hands. 4.6 million American children already live in a home with an unsecured firearm and 8 kids are killed or injured every day by family fire. Schools should be a haven for students to learn and thrive: how many more kids will be shot if there is an unsecured firearm in their classroom?

“If we want to be free of this uniquely American crisis, we cannot continue to perpetuate the deadly norms that got us here by adding more unsecured firearms in spaces where children should be safe to learn and grow. We urge Governor Lee to veto this bill and ask him to work alongside us, teachers and gun safety advocates to craft meaningful reforms across the Volunteer State.”