TRIGGERED: Chaos Ensues After Tennessee Passes Bill To Arm Teachers With Guns

In a historic move that could set a new precedent, the Tennessee House passed a bill earlier today that would allow trained teachers to carry concealed firearms inside classrooms.

The bill passed 68-28, with all Democrats and four Republicans voting against it.

The bill is now headed to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk, where he is expected to sign it into law.

Check out the breaking news:

𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐍: The Tennessee Republican-controlled House has passed HB 1202/SB 1325 that will allow some trained teachers and school staff members to carry handguns in the classroom.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee can sign the bill into law or allow it to become law without… pic.twitter.com/tLtHUAP0zx

— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) April 23, 2024

Fox News has more details on the bill:

Tennessee lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a GOP-backed bill on Tuesday that will allow schoolteachers to carry firearms on school grounds, though the names of the armed instructors would not be published to the public.

Earlier this month, Republican lawmakers in Tennessee joined together to approve Senate Bill 1325 with a 26-5 vote. The bill allows a teacher or faculty member who meets certain requirements, to possess and carry a firearm on school grounds.

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In order to carry a handgun, teachers must have a handgun carry permit, have written authorization from both the school’s principal and local law enforcement and undergo 40 hours of handgun training. The worker must also not be prohibited from purchasing, possessing and carrying a handgun under Tennessee or federal law, as determined by a background check.

On Tuesday, the House in the state Legislature continued to push the bill closer to becoming law by passing the sister bill by a 68-28 vote. It now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law.

The new bill is aimed at empowering teachers to defend against would-be school shooters and has the potential to save lives.

It was passed a year after a transgender school shooter killed 6 — 3 children and 3 adults — at The Covenant School in Nashville, TN.

Yet, just moments after the bill was approved by the House, chaos erupted in the gallery.

A wave of protestors carrying signs and chanting things like, “Blood on your hands,” rushed in.

See what happened here for yourself:

WATCH: “BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS!! VOTE THEM OUT!!”

More footage of chaos erupting and a die-in ensuing as the @tnhousegop passes the wildly unpopular @RyanWilliamsTN arming teachers bill as angry students and parents looked on from the full gallery. pic.twitter.com/MxRKfwE8Es

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) April 23, 2024

Apparently, some liberal activists, including Democrat Rep. Justin Jones, also staged a “die in” silent protest over the bill:

The Tennessee House just passed a bill that allows teachers and staff to carry a gun to protect the students. Staff who want to carry must go through 40 hours of gun training and have a psychological evaluation.

Left wing activists including Rep. Justin Jones staged a "die in"… pic.twitter.com/i0XbzuUuPg

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) April 23, 2024

Here’s what Rep. Justin Jones had to say about it on his X page:

Tennessee Republicans just cut off debate and passed a bill to arm teachers in our schools.

The public chanted “Blood on your hands!” as the Speaker ordered troopers to clear the gallery.

This is what fascism looks like. pic.twitter.com/9mg67oWMxM

— Rep. Justin Jones (@brotherjones_) April 23, 2024

Now, on one hand, I get it.

We really shouldn’t have to be arming our teachers with guns to protect our kids from getting shot at school — a place where they are supposed to be safe and free to learn.

But, the sad reality is school shootings have become far too commonplace. It only makes sense to allow teachers to fight fire with fire in order to protect the most innocent members of our society from raving lunatics with guns.

So, on the contrary, I’d argue its the leftists with “blood on their hands” for trying to force our children and education staff to remain sitting ducks, in the case of an active shooter situation.

And, on a personal note, I would feel a whole lot safer knowing my kid is in a classroom with a teacher trained to defend them using our 2nd amendment right to bear arms.

What do you think?

Do you agree?

The New York Times reported on the outrage surrounding the bill’s passage:

Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill on Tuesday to allow teachers and other school staff members to carry concealed handguns on school campuses. The measure, if it becomes law, would require those carrying guns to go through training and to have the approval of school officials, but parents and most other school employees would not be notified.

The bill is one of the most significant pieces of public safety legislation to advance in Tennessee after a shooting just over a year ago at a private Christian school in Nashville left three students and three staff members dead. The attack galvanized parents at the school and many others in Tennessee — including the state’s Republican governor — to demand action that could prevent similar violence.

But many of them believed that restricting access to guns was the solution, and critics of the legislation have argued that bringing more weapons onto school campuses would not improve safety and could even amplify the danger facing students.

Protesters opposed to the bill packed the House chamber and the corridors of the Capitol on Tuesday, carrying signs that said, “Kids Deserve More!” and “Have You Lost Your Ever-Loving Minds?”

The demonstrators echoed fears that have been raised since the legislation was proposed.

“I ask that you don’t put our children’s lives at risk by putting more and more guns in schools,” State Senator London Lamar, a Democrat from Memphis, said during a debate this month as she cradled her infant son. “It is really hard,” she added, “even as a new mom, to stand here and have to be composed on a piece of legislation that I know puts my son’s life at risk.”

The bill’s supporters have disputed that contention, arguing that the measure would protect students, not only because trained adults would have access to guns but also because their presence could act as a deterrent to a would-be assailant.

“We are not trying to shoot a student but protect a student from an active shooter whose sole purpose is to get in that school and kill people,” State Senator Ken Yager, a Republican, said.