NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Covenant Families in Action, an organization of Covenant parents, staff and survivors, came together at the capitol to talk about the ongoing debate between the House and Senate on certain bills during the special session.
"We think it's important to be up here every single day and show our presence this week. Please understand this is not my full-time job. None of us have seen our children this week because of the long hours and early mornings we have spent at the capitol," said Melissa Alexander, a Covenant parent. "But some of our friends will never see their children again."
Alexander said to see the House and Senate at an impasse is frustrating.
"I would ask our leadership to take the next three days, set aside our differences and get some of these bills passed to ensure the safety of all Tennessee children," she said
Mary Joyce, a Covenant parent for five years, brought up a few of the bills she wants to see pass, including HB7090, which would keep the autopsies of the three 9-year-old children who died private. She also wanted to see HB7002, which requires schools to have a plan for everyone in the building when a fire alarm goes off and it isn't a fire, in case there is an active shooter in the building.
"Such a plan would have saved her son's life that day at Covenant," Joyce said, in reference to her friend.
Sarah Shoop Neumann, Covenant parent of a son who just started kindergarten, thanked those who have listened to parents ahead of special session and tried to create change.
However, she said the Senate needs to come back to session and has stonewalled real progress.
"Gun industry lobbyists watched from the gallery while we fought to have a seat," Neumann said.
She specifically mentioned HB7067 and HB7078.
"When the final gavel falls to end this special session, it needs to be after our elected representatives have done the job they are elected and paid to do," she said.
The three mothers had an opportunity to answer questions. Joyce said class rosters went out recently for the new school year, and her daughter was devastated because her three friends' names weren't on the list.
"These kids are really struggling and it's hard for them to talk about it," she said."To everyone else, you've moved on, we are still in the trenches of this trauma."
Despite the heartache and the frustration of the slow-moving debates, these Covenant moms plan to keep moving forward in faith even after special session is adjourned.
"Watch us. We're not leaving," Joyce said.
"You're gonna see these faces again and again," Alexander continued.
"And we will use this time to learn from others who have been in this fight much longer than us," Neumann finished.
