Covenant mother pens open letter to lawmakers urging them to reconsider bill that would arm teachers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Covenant School parents spent many hours at the state Capitol this week protesting a bill that would arm teachers.

The bill passed in the TN Senate Tuesday, April 9, just weeks after the one-year anniversary of the Covenant School shooting.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Covenant School parent discusses new bill to arm teachers

One Covenant mother penned an open letter to lawmakers ahead of a House vote on the bill, the last step before the governor’s desk. Now, this dedicated group of parents is asking other Tennesseans to sign on, sending a message to lawmakers that arming teachers is not the solution.

“Our fundamental and visceral need is to protect our children, and this legislation will not allow us to do that,” Covenant mother Beth Gebhard said. “So I’m sure I am not the only mother that simply will not have that, and what that looks like, I don’t really know, but that cannot be our reality.”

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Those against the legislation are asking members of the public to text “TN” to 64433. The text will connect you with a state lawmaker where you can share your opinion on the bill.

Republicans in favor of the legislation claim it’s a way to better protect children, but a 2018 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that putting firearms in schools could increase anxiety and negatively impact a school’s environment.

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If teachers were to be armed, they would have to undergo a minimum of 40 hours of training. It’s unclear, however, how much of that would involve firearm training.

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