00:00Kindergarteners in Tennessee are starting school with more than ABCs and 1-2-3s.
00:06This year, they're learning about firearm safety, too.
00:11The new law passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2024 requires students at all grade levels to receive yearly training.
00:20Students will learn how to store firearms safely, what to do if they find one, and the importance of telling an adult immediately.
00:27The lessons stay neutral on politics and use no-live firearms or ammunition.
00:33Simple rules, stop, don't touch, leave, and tell an adult reinforce a message.
00:38But educators say guidance is sparse and parents can't opt out.
00:43Tennessee State Representative Jason Powell warned students who have experienced school shootings already could face trauma.
00:49The Tennessee Comptroller found 63 school shooting incidents from 1998 to 2023, including guns fired, brandished, or bullets hitting school property.
01:01The State Department of Health reports firearms as the top non-medical cause of child deaths in 2022.
01:074.8 per 100,000 children, with homicides up 16 percent since 2018, all were deemed preventable.
01:15So far in 2025, Tennessee has seen one school shooting, killing one student, and injuring two others.
01:22Outside the state, a shooting in Minneapolis killed two and injured dozens, reigniting the national debate on gun safety and lawmakers' responses.
01:31Read the full story right now on the Straight Arrow News mobile app or head to san.com.
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