Tennessee Gov. Lee signs bill allowing concealed carry for public schoolteachers

Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed into law a bill allowing teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds.

"What’s important is that we give districts tools and the option to use a tool that will keep their children safe," Lee told reporters.

As the idea of arming teachers began to gain support inside the General Assembly, gun control advocates and families began swarming to the Capitol to show their opposition. During the final vote, protesters chanted "Blood on your hands" and many members of the public who oppose the bill harangued Republican lawmakers after the vote, leading House Speaker Cameron Sexton to order the galleries cleared.