Education Bureaucrats Believe Criminals Fear Unarmed Teachers

Education Bureaucrats Believe Criminals Fear Unarmed Teachers

A Republican state lawmaker says he might offer legislation authorizing faculty and employees at Tennessee’s public higher education institutions to carry firearms and have “the best chance possible to defend themselves” if there’s a campus shooting.

Sen. Mike Bell of Riceville mentioned the proposal Thursday as the state Senate Higher Education Subcommittee discussed campus security.

Higher education officials with the University of Tennessee system and the Tennessee Board of Regents — which oversees the state’s six universities, 13 community colleges and 27 colleges of applied technology — discussed their emergency preparedness plans.

When questioned by reporters after the meeting, Bell said he believes such a measure is necessary following the campus massacre earlier this month at an Oregon community college where a gunman killed nine people before taking his own life.

“I think we need to give our citizens the best chance possible to defend themselves when that kind of situation comes up,” said Bell, who added that he’s got the support of several other Republican state lawmakers. He said the authorization would apply to those with handgun permits.

However, state higher education officials said (continue reading)

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