WHITE HOUSE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The safety of students and teachers is so important to school leaders.
Life Christian Academy in White House hired an armed guard last week after the shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville.
"I can't stand the thought of anything happening to anyone on this campus, and my heart just goes out to the people at The Covenant School. I just can't imagine," said Beth Johnstone, principal and director of Life Christian Academy.
Just shy of 200 kids attend the school for infants through third-grade.
Steven Beck is the new armed security guard looking out for the children.
"These little kids are looking at you like these are the guys that are going to protect us," said Beck. "It's a lot, you know? But it just means that I got to pay attention more. Watch more and just look in places most people wouldn't."
To cover a portion of the cost of their new armed guard, preschool and after-school tuition is going up $5 a week beginning April 17.
"I think it's sad that that's what our society has come to, but like I said before we'll do everything we can to protect our children. No matter how much it costs, we're going to keep the children safe, so if that's what it takes, we're going to do it," said Johnstone.
In other communities, local police departments are helping with school security. In partnership with the Tullahoma Police Department, beginning Monday, six of the Tullahoma City Schools campuses that do not already have an officer in their buildings daily will now have a police officer present every day.
"Since we have had ongoing conversations, it was really a natural conversation to just continue it and move forward with the notion that this is an appropriate time to move officers into our schools to close out this school year," said Dr. Catherine Stephens, the superintendent of Tullahoma City Schools.
Research shows school resource officers reduce some, but not all forms of violence in schools.
