Gov. Bill Lee: Keep guns away from schools, which are safe places for Tennessee students

Re: "Tennessee House passes bill allowing armed teachers, sending measure to the governor," April 23.

Governor Lee:

Ten years ago, when my husband, Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, was a freshman legislator, I met Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, the sponsor of House Bill 1202, at an event that we all attended together.

I was seven months pregnant at the time with my son, who is now a fourth grader at Glendale Spanish Immersion Elementary.

I remember Representative Williams excitedly giving us words of advice and sharing how blessed we all were to be raising children. I know he wanted the best for my unborn son as well as my daughter, who was 3 years old at the time.

A decade later, three of my sons’ peers are dead. Murdered down the street at The Covenant School. Lock down drills are a way of life. Two weeks ago, he was on a real lock down for a bomb threat. My daughter experienced the terror of a possible shooter on her campus at Martin Luther King Magnet School in the fall.

Not knowing if her classroom would be fired upon, she huddled in a corner holding her friends’ hands and clutched her Hydroflask because she thought she could use it to defend herself.

HB 1202 is not the solution. You’ve heard from thousands of students, parents, teachers, and law enforcement officers that they don’t want this legislation.

Unfortunately, HB 1202 passed Tuesday. It is not too late to listen to all of us across the state who have pleaded with you and with members of the General Assembly to reconsider this bill. While they didn't listen to us, you can. You can veto this dangerous bill. We can work together on meaningful gun legislation.

There is nothing more precious than the lives of our children, a point on which I know you agree, so let’s pass legislation that supports this and does not bring more weapons into the schools that should be sanctuaries for their young lives.

Heather Corum Powell, Nashville 37211

Agree or disagree? Or have a view on another topic entirely? Send a letter of 250 words or fewer to [email protected]. Include your full name, city/town, ZIP and contact information for verification. Thanks for adding to the public conversation.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Arming Tennessee teachers: Keep students safe and guns from schools