Angry protests as Tennessee Republicans pass law allowing teachers to carry concealed weapons

Tennessee teachers could soon carry concealed handguns in the classroom after Republican state senators passed a bill amid angry protests.

The bill’s passing comes a few weeks after the first anniversary of the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, which left six students and staff dead.

Around 200 gun-reform advocates disrupted proceedings on Tuesday as they voiced their opposition to the bill from the Senate’s gallery, according to The Tennessean, with some eventually removed from the room.

They were angry at the plans which would allow teachers and other school staff to carry guns, with the legislation also including a ban on anyone else carrying firearms on school property.

Teachers would not need to disclose if they are carrying a weapon, the bill says — something which led to chants of “shame on you” from the gallery.

The bill still needs to pass the Tennessee General Assembly’s House, with no date yet set for it to be tabled.

If the new rules come in, Tennessee would join over 30 states which allow school personnel or teachers to carry a firearm, something gun safety groups have spoken out against repeatedly.

Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action argue that arming teachers puts children at further risk.

“We should be listening to Tennessee law enforcement, teachers, superintendents and more who have spoken out against arming teachers. And, most importantly, we should be listening to Tennesseans, who are worried that their children won’t come home from school every day,” Linda McFadyen-Ketchum, a volunteer with the Tennessee chapter of Moms Demand Action, said in a press release.

“We should not be afraid to send our kids to school, but extremist lawmakers are hellbent on expanding the gun