Covenant Families for Brighter Tomorrows: 'We should not add armed security guard to their list'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Ahead of Monday's special session, several groups including those with Covenant Families for Brighter Tomorrows spoke on safety and gun violence.

David Teague, a parent of two children at the Covenant School and a co-founder of the group Covenant Families for Brighter Tomorrows spoke on the demands teachers currently have and how "by working collaboratively, we can ensure that schools are prepared to handle potential threats and minimize risks".

"We should not add armed security guard to their list of extracurriculars," Teague said.

He said that the session should not become an exercise in arming teachers, that while school security is essential, it isIn the event all efforts have failed and we are solely relying on enhanced security protocols, the last line of defense.

In the event all efforts have failed and we are solely relying on enhanced security protocols, we have already lost the day," he added. "At best, another group of children will have had their innocence and sense of security stolen from them."

Teague believes there is a lot of good that can come out of the special session.

"The proposed bills do make significant advances in the area of school safety plans," Teague said. "From SB 7001 on the need for schools to have fire alarms to HB 7038, which would give grant funds for schools to use in their safety plans."