Tennessee Republican Gov. Invoice Lee stated he intends to develop a faculty security measure to incorporate the position of college useful resource officers at each college within the state following the taking pictures at a non-public Christian college in Nashville.
The governor’s plan comes after a 28-year-old transgender particular person opened hearth within the Covenant Faculty killing six folks, together with three kids. Legislation enforcement killed the suspect.
Lee opened up concerning the emotional impression the taking pictures has left on the neighborhood.
“I think we all understand when people are fearful, when people are angry, when people lash out. I have those same emotions myself, we all do,” Lee instructed The Tennessean. “We have an obligation, I have an obligation, to do what I can and work together with leaders across this community to address people’s concerns and to protect our kids in whatever way we can.”
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The governor’s plan would develop a proposal to put an armed guard, in any other case referred to as a faculty useful resource officer, at each public college in Tennessee and provide state funding for personal colleges to rent an armed guard.
Below this proposal, which must be authorized by the state legislature, non-public colleges could be required to rent guards with the identical stage of coaching as public college necessities. Nevertheless, non-public colleges is not going to be pressured to reap the benefits of this system.
Lee issued an identical govt order final yr and pushed a brand new college security plan in his state of the state tackle earlier this yr. State lawmakers in current weeks thought of the brand new proposal, which incorporates penalties for public colleges discovered with safety violations.
The governor’s preliminary price range proposal this yr included $20 million for college constructing safety upgrades. He additionally plans to suggest increasing this fund with extra cash for personal colleges.
The brand new plan would additionally search extra psychological well being assist by school-based behavioral well being liaisons. Lee beforehand established a $250 million psychological well being “trust fund” that has but to be spent.
“Mental health concerns are something that we have to continue to invest in,” Lee stated. “There will be conversations across the board about mental health for students and mental health in general. And support for those who need help, and who do in fact become a threat to themselves or others.”
Excessive threat safety laws (ERPO), also referred to as “red flag” legal guidelines, are in place in almost 20 U.S. states, however Lee wouldn’t explicitly decide to such a measure. Below “red flag” legal guidelines, authorities can pursue a civil authorized order to strip weapons from an individual for a restricted time if they’re discovered to be an elevated threat to themselves or others.
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“Most practical, thoughtful people believe that individuals who are a threat to themselves or to others shouldn’t have access to weapons,” Lee stated. “In my view, that’s a practical, thoughtful approach.”
9-year-old college students Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney had been killed within the taking pictures together with head of college Katherine Koonce, 60, substitute trainer Cynthia Peak, 61, and custodian Mike Hill, 61.
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