Tennessee law to let teachers carry guns in schools caused a ruckus, but has drawn little interest
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Josh Arrowood carries his .22-caliber handgun most everywhere he goes in his rural Tennessee community — to church at Freewill Baptist, at the Food City store where he shops for groceries, and in the Greene County Courthouse, where he serves as a commissioner.
A new state law that passed this spring would let him, under certain conditions, carry the gun at his workplace, too — South Greene Middle School in Greeneville, where he teaches world history to sixth graders. And Arrowood, who’s had a handgun permit for 15 years, is open to doing so if it can provide an extra layer of security against a school shooting.
But between concerns about his personal liability and ambivalence about the new law from local school leaders, Arrowood won’t be carrying his pocket-size gun to class this school year.
And because of the way Tennessee’s new law was written, he said, “I don’t expect anybody to take advantage of it.”
Indeed, for all the protests and discord over the legislation before it passed, there’s little talk among school districts or educators about using the option to arm teachers or staff as the new academic year begins. Not a single school system has indicated that it’s planning or working to train employees to carry a gun voluntarily under the new law, according to dozens of school and law enforcement officials.
Why not?
