State mulls more armed school teachers, off-duty officers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican lawmakers have advanced a proposal to expand the number of Tennessee teachers who can carry guns in schools, drawing a divide with Democrats just hours after lawmakers found bipartisan common ground on possibly using off-duty officers to fill school security gaps.
The legislation, which passed a House subcommittee Wednesday, would let all school districts decide whether to allow teachers to undergo training by certified private instructors to carry guns in schools, with one armed teacher allowed per 75 students. Tennessee is among several states embarking on school safety-related legislation in response to the Feb. 14 shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 dead.