KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A week after three children and three adults were fatally shot at Covenant Christian School in Nashville, Gov. Bill Lee announced that measures meant to increase school security.
His proposed budget includes around $30 million to hire more school resource officers across the state and $7 million for security infrastructure improvements at schools. Now, private schools and parents across Tennessee are weighing decisions about school security.
"When I found out it was a small, private school — my heart dropped," said Hannah Shelton, the mother of a five-year-old daughter who attends a private school. "After the shooting in Nashville, I would like to see enhanced safety at her school. It scares me thinking that could happen to her."
U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R - TN) and Bill Haggerty (R - TN) also introduced the SAFE School Act. The act would provide a $900 million grant allowing schools to hire more school safety officers.
Clayton Bradley Academy in Maryville said it already has security measures in place.
"We try to do that as much as possible, because we want our kids in that learning space so that, when they're at school, they can focus on learning which is why we're here," said Kendall Terry, who works with the school.
The school's SRO, Holly Hatcher, said that she is constantly looking for threats to students. She said part of her job is also to find ways the school could improve.
"That's my job, is to keep you safe as you arrive on campus and make your journey here," she said. "I do a comprehensive walkthrough and make sure that there are things that are in place. And things that can be improved on, I mention that to my powers at be on campus."
She also provides a direct line of communication between the Alcoa Police Department and the school. She said that response time to gun violence would be "no more than two minutes."
Although the proposed funding is meant to hire more SROs, several studies have found that armed officers at schools do not deter violence.