Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is planning to propose a plan to provide public and private schools with the necessary resources to hire an armed guard. The move comes after a mass shooting at a Christian elementary school in Nashville earlier this week.
TAKING ACTION IN TENNESSEE: Gov. Bill Lee to Propose Armed Guards in Every School https://t.co/bzv6fwBNmc
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 3, 2023
Lee’s proposal aims to place an armed school resource officer in every public school and to provide funding for private schools to hire armed guards with the same level of training as those in public schools. However, private schools are not obliged to join the program.
Governor Lee’s proposed budget earlier this year included $20 million for public schools to use on security upgrades, but he wants to expand that funding to include private schools.
In addition to providing armed guards, Lee hopes the proposal can address mental health concerns by creating school-based behavioral health liaisons.
Governor Lee’s plan to reinforce school security is in a bid to avoid the recurrence of the shooting at a private school in Nashville that left three students and three employees dead.
Speaking to the Tennessean, the Republican governor highlighted the need for practical solutions to protect the constitutional rights of residents of Tennessee and to safeguard them from those who wish to do harm to themselves or others.
“We have an obligation, I have an obligation, to do what I can and work together with leaders across this community to address people’s concerns and to protect our kids in whatever way we can,” he said.
The incident has been followed by loud demands for lawmakers to take action to pass gun control laws. While Lee did not commit to throwing his weight behind gun control measures, he gave his take on “red flag” laws in his conversation with The Tennessean.
While some criticize the proposal for not addressing the root causes of gun violence, Lee believes that it is a practical approach to protecting Tennessee’s schoolchildren.
“Most practical, thoughtful people believe that individuals who are a threat to themselves or to others shouldn’t have access to weapons. In my view, that’s a practical, thoughtful approach,” he stated.
Lee’s office later told The Daily Wire that his goal is to protect the lives and constitutional rights of Tennesseans, and any practical solutions should protect one without compromising on the other.
