FOX13 Investigates new law allowing armed teachers at Tennessee schools

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The start of a new school year is right around the corner for Mid-South students. In Tennessee, this will be the first year under a new law that allows teachers to carry guns in the classroom. The highly controversial law passed in April.

Jacob York has spent his whole life in McNairy County.

“When you think of rural America, this is what you would see," York told FOX13 about his small town.

York attended elementary, middle and high schools in McNairy County. Even though he dealt with bullying, York told FOX13 he never questioned his safety.

"Typically, there were no threats from adults or anything I felt overall pretty safe," York said. "I think SROs (School Resource Officers) are the only people in schools that need to have a gun on them.”

York can remember the feeling he and his classmates would have after hearing about a school shooting in another state.

“It felt gloomy, really gloomy, really just down," York said.

York can remember going through elementary school with little to no police presence. It wasn't until middle school when it became noticeable to York and his classmates.

“We would just talk about how weird it was seeing police officers in our school, but that we understood why they were there and the importance of why they were there," York told FOX13.

York graduated high school in 2022. One year later, three children and three adults were killed in a shooting at Covenant School in Nashville. Since that deadly school shooting, Tennessee lawmakers have passed a number of bills to increase school safety. The most controversial bill passed in April, allowing teachers to carry guns in classrooms. FOX13 spoke to many people in Memphis the day the bill passed.

"I don't think that fixes the problem," Andrea Sandefer told FOX13 in April. "I think they're just kind of sweeping the actual problem under the rug."

Nakyiah Shelton told FOX13 in April that she was on the fence about the bill passing.

"Yes and no because what if somebody comes into the school with a gun, they can defend their kids but at the same time, what if a kid gets a hold of their gun?" Shelton said.

There's a law in Texas that is similar to the law recently passed in Tennessee. FOX13 spoke to Mike Lane, co-founder of Cinco Peso Training group in Texas. Lane's business trains teachers across Texas on how to handle guns.

“I’m glad that Tennessee is choosing to do this," Lane told FOX13.

Lane acknowledged that arming teachers is not the end all be all answer to preventing school shootings, but Lane told FOX13 armed teachers could help save lives before first responders arrive.

“It’s the immediate responders, who’s the person there at the scene when the event happens that’s going to make a bigger impact," Lane said.

If parents are concerned about the new law, Lane told FOX13 parents should ask these questions.

“How is the system going to be set up? Are we going to go about this with a very thorough vetting process?" Lane said. "What safeguards are in place to prevent a firearm being taken from a faculty member?"

Lane also stressed that before a teacher considers carrying a gun in a classroom, they need to get proper training.

“You have to train them when it comes to the firearms, self-defense, the understanding of the justification of use of force," Lane said.

Here is what the Tennessee law requires:

Teachers must get approval from the school district, school principal, and local law enforcement agency to carry a gun.

• Teachers must have a valid handgun permit
• Teachers have to go through a background check and get a mental evaluation
• Teachers must get at least 40 hours of basic training in school policing

Currently, there is nothing in the law about how teachers should safely store their guns but, the law does state that teachers cannot openly carry the gun where someone can see it or carry a gun at school sponsored events.

York was not pleased when the bill passed, believing school resource officer's are enough to protect students.

“SROs are enough. Now, we can heighten that budget and we can strengthen our SROs, but I do not believe teachers need to be armed," York said.

FOX13 reached out to every Tennessee school district in the FOX13 viewing area. Only four districts responded to our requests. Collierville, McNairy, Tipton, and Crockett county schools all will not allow teachers to be armed. All districts stating they employ school resource officers and have partnerships with their local law enforcement agencies. Memphis-Shelby County Schools released a video statement not long after the bill passed in April. The district officials stated they too will not allow armed teachers.

"Emergency situations should be handled by officers who have been trained to handle them," Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said in a video message.