Скачать или смотреть As kids head back to class, all Tennessee public schools must teach gun safety this year

As the new school year begins, public school students across Tennessee will now be required to take gun safety training, making it the first state in the U.S. to mandate this kind of instruction in schools.

The law, passed by state lawmakers in 2024, comes amid years of gun-related tragedies across the country, including the 2023 mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville.

Accidental shootings among children are also a continual crisis. According to the gun safety advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety, Tennessee ranks third in the nation for unintentional shootings by children. Since 2015, more than 158 children in the state have either shot themselves or others.

“We do mandate (students) are taught about fire safety. We’re also mandating they’re taught about severe weather. And currently, we’re mandating they have intruder training,” said Sen. Paul Bailey, R-Sparta, during debate on the bill in 2024. “We’re all concerned about gun violence within our school system... I think it is something that is needed.”
Beginning this academic year, students will learn basic gun safety practices, such as what to do if they find a gun, how to notify an adult, and general firearm safety within the school setting.

Each school district will determine how to implement the curriculum, which lawmakers have said will remain politically neutral.

However, some educators and advocacy groups have raised concerns about how the training will fit into an already crowded school day.

“We’re struggling to find time for recess, for reading and writing, for regular coursework. And now we’re making time for this,” said JC Bowman, executive director and CEO of Professional Educators of Tennessee.

None of the training will involve real guns or ammunition. The law does not allow students to opt out. However, the Tennessee Department of Education is encouraging schools to communicate with parents about what's being taught.

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