KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A former agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation helped organize active shooter training at a Knoxville private school on Wednesday, ahead of the start of the new school year in Knox County.
Scott Johnson helped organize it. He was the firearms instructor for field agents at the Knoxville FBI office and also served with the FBI Hostage Rescue Team. The training was held at the Knoxville Montessori School.
Ahead of the new school year, lawmakers also allocated funding for safety improvements at public and private schools. A bill signed during the last legislative session set aside more than $230 million for improvements at public and private schools.
Around $30 million of those funds were for placing 100 homeland security agents in every county in Tennessee to serve in public and private schools. Around $140 million was also allocated for placing armed school resource officers at every public school.
Around $14 million was set aside to improve security at private schools, and around $8 million was for "school-based behavioral health liaisons" across the state.