Legislation to Arm Teachers Moving Through Tennessee House

On Wednesday the Tennessee House Civil Justice Subcommittee passed legislation allowing teachers and staff to carry guns at school for self-defense.

The legislation–House Bill 1751–is sponsored by representative David Byrd (R-Waynesboro).

According to WKRN-TV, HB 1751 is intended to “give school systems in distressed rural counties the ability to allow certain staff and volunteers to carry guns at school and school-sponsored activities, like athletic events.” Byrd said the need for armed teachers is exemplified by his home county–Wayne County–where there are insufficient funds to pay for School Resource Officers.

In lieu of such officers, Byrd believes teachers and staff should be armed.

HB 1751 would require teachers and staff “selected to be armed on campus to have a valid handgun carry permit” and to complete “40 hours of firearms training specific to school policing that has been approved by the peace officer standards and training commission.”

Byrd’s bill next goes before the House Civil Justice Committee.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.