Tennessee’s U.S. Senators Propose $900 Million Grant Program For School Security

Tennessee’s two U.S. senators have unveiled a plan to create a program that will enhance school safety in public and private schools across the country after a fatal mass shooting at a private Christian grade school in Nashville. The massive grant program called The Securing Aid for Every (SAFE) School Act will be worth $900 million and will allow states to utilize the funds in several ways, including hiring and training school safety officers and employing law enforcement officers. The program also aims to strengthen schools’ physical security. Blackburn and Hagerty have received support from local, state, and federal law enforcement officers and organizations, as well as Tennessee leaders, school safety advocates, and veterans.

The announcement comes as Democrats, including President Joe Biden, continue to push gun control measures following the Covenant School shooting that claimed the lives of three faculty members and three children. Blackburn expressed her condolences and grief at the incident and stated that schools should be safe for children to learn, play, and be happy. The fact sheet accompanying the proposal noted that Tennessee already has a program that trains school resource officers, but the SAFE School will meet additional needs that might arise. The legislation provides an alternative to gun control me

asures as suggested by the Democrats.