TN Gov. Bill Lee Introduces Budget Amendment to Fund Armed Guard at Every School

On Thursday, Gov. Bill Lee (R) put forward three provisions to keep schools safe, the first of which is a budget amendment to fund an armed guard at every public school in Tennessee.

Lee said, “There is no excuse to not have a guard at every school.”

He noted that the second provision is a grant fund “to make significant physical security upgrades at both public and non-public schools all across the state.”

Lee explained that the third provision would be an increase in funding “for mental health resources.” He explained that the increased funding would mean not just one “mental health liaison in every county but that we have multiple in many counties.”

He stressed that a sound approach to school safety begins “with the recognition that we cannot control evil, but we can do something.”

Together, we’re taking decisive, bipartisan action to secure TN schools — adding $200M+ for armed SROs, physical security upgrades & mental health support.

Our conversation about practical, thoughtful solutions will continue.

We cannot control evil, but we can do something. pic.twitter.com/h5bl1YJd27

— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) April 6, 2023

Breitbart News reported there was no armed resource officer at the Christian school when a 28-year-old transgender shooter attacked on March 27, 2023.

The 28-year-old shot her way into the school then roamed the halls while holding a 9mm caliber carbine, searching for victims while facing no armed response.

Metropolitan Nashville Police Department via Storyful

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. AWR Hawkins holds a Ph.D. in Military History, with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.