Where Middle Tennessee districts stand on allowing teachers to carry guns

Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill on Tuesday that would allow some teachers and staff to carry guns at K-12 public schools, with several requirements in place.

Teachers and staff who wish to carry concealed handguns on campus must:

• Maintain a valid Tennessee handgun carry permit

• Undergo a background check and submit two sets of fingerprints to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The TBI is directed to determine the person's eligibility to carry a firearm and conduct a criminal history check within 30 days, in addition to forwarding the second set of fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a federal background check.

• Receive psychological or psychiatric certification from a licensed health care provider

• Complete 40 hours of basic training in school policing

• Get a sign-off from the school district's director of schools, the school principal and the chief of the "appropriate" law enforcement agency

Read more: Tennessee lawmakers pass bill allowing teachers, school staff to carry concealed handguns

The bill does not require districts or schools to disclose which people are carrying guns. Districts or principals could, in theory, refuse to approve requests for teachers and staff to carry guns.

It's important to note that, while the bill has been passed, it is still awaiting action by Gov. Bill Lee. He could sign it into law or veto it. If he does not take action with 10 days of receiving the bill, excluding Sundays, it will become law without his signature.

The Tennessean reached out to districts around Middle Tennessee asking if they plan to allow teachers or staff to carry guns under the new bill. Here's what they had to say.

From Knoxville: Knox County Schools leaders are reviewing whether to allow teachers and staff to carry guns

Cheatham County School District

Cheatham County School District spokesperson Tim Adkins did not answer a question about whether the district would allow teachers to carry guns under the terms of the new legislation. Instead, he sent along this statement:

"The Cheatham County School District is thankful for our ongoing partnership with the Cheatham County Sheriff's Office that allows us to have a School Resource Officer in every school."

Clarksville-Montgomery County School System

Clarksville-Montgomery County School System spokesperson Anthony Johnson said the district is awaiting the bill to be signed into law before considering or developing any policies. He said it will also seek guidance from the Tennessee Department of Education, State Board of Education, Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and other agencies.

"In CMCSS, we have a strong partnership with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), and other law enforcement agencies, and have armed MCSO SROs in all our schools, with more than one in our larger schools, who provide guidance, support, and security," Johnson said in an emailed statement. "We understand the uncertainty in the community around this bill and the mixed emotions of support and concern from families. As with all school safety laws, we will work in concert with MCSO and other law enforcement and emergency management agencies. Until we receive official guidance, we don’t have any comments on the bill or whether it will or will not apply to CMCSS."

Dickson County School District

A spokesperson for Dickson County School District had not replied to repeated requests for comment on the bill, as of 11 a.m. Thursday.

Maury County Public Schools

Maury County Public Schools spokesperson Jake Cobb said that the district has school resource officers in each building and pointed to its "wonderful relationship" with the Maury County Sheriff's Office. He also cited the pending status of the bill as it heads to Lee's desk.

"Superintendent Lisa Ventura will work with the Maury County Public School Board and our attorney to review and analyze the legislation once it has been fully passed," Cobb said.

Metro Nashville Public Schools

Metro Nashville Public Schools spokesperson Sean Braisted said the district is not planning to change its existing policy on who can carry guns.

"We have a strong relationship with the Metro Nashville Police Department and agree that it is safest for only approved active-duty law enforcement officers to carry weapons on campus," Braisted said in an email. "This has been our consistent practice at MNPS, and we have no intention of changing it."

From Nashville: MNPS will not allow teachers to carry guns after bill passes

Robertson County Schools

Robertson County Schools spokesperson Jim Bellis said the district has not decided yet since the legislation was just passed.

"We will have to review the legislation and accompanying rules that are being written related to the legislation before any decision will be made," Bellis said in an email.

Rutherford County Schools

Rutherford County Schools spokesperson James Evans said the district is still monitoring the legislation as it awaits transmission to the governor and his actions. He cited the bill's requirement to create an agreement between the district and local law enforcement to set up a process for teachers and staff to legally carry guns in schools.

"At this time, we do not see the need for this initiative in our schools," Evans wrote. "Rutherford County Schools already has an extensive school resource officer program, which includes at least one trained, armed deputy in all schools. We also have a robust safety program, which includes training for all employees and a number of other safety and security measures. While we don’t disclose all the details of our safety program to the public — because such information is sensitive and could be misused — we have invested heavily in providing and maintaining safe learning environments."

Sumner County Schools

Sumner County Schools Director Scott Langford explained the district's stance in a Facebook post and video on Wednesday.

"I have spoken with Sheriff (Sonny) Weatherford today and we agree: We will not arm teachers in Sumner County," Langford wrote in the post.

He cited the district's strong partnership with the Sumner County Sheriff's Office, which provides school resource officers for all their campuses. He also praised the district's school resource officer program, which he said is ranked first in the nation.

"Our teachers and principals carry tremendous responsibilities in teaching and supporting our students in the classroom," Langford wrote. "Our teachers and principals already play a critical role in school safety by ensuring that our safety procedures are followed in our school buildings daily. We do not want to add one more task or responsibility to them."

Langford's full statement and video can be found at facebook.com/SumnerSchools.

Williamson County Schools

Williamson County Schools Director Jason Golden sent an email out to district staff and families on Wednesday explaining the legislation and the district's existing relationship with the Williamson County Sheriff's Office. School resource officers are assigned to each school.

Golden cited a part of the bill that requires a formal agreement, known as a memorandum of understanding, that must be formed between the school superintendent and law enforcement.

Covenant School parents lead the charge: More than 5,000 sign letter urging rejection of Tennessee's bill to arm teachers

"We are continuing to review the legislation and will be talking with our law enforcement leaders," Golden wrote. "However, the governor has not signed the legislation and there is no memorandum of understanding. Therefore, faculty and staff are not authorized to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds."

He did not say whether an agreement will be reached if the bill becomes law.

Wilson County Schools

Wilson County Schools spokesperson Bart Barker said the district did not have information to offer on the matter, as of Wednesday.

"Pending the (governor) signing the bill, it will likely be discussed at upcoming school board meetings with the director and board body," Barker said in an email.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee teachers gun laws: Where Middle Tennessee districts stand