Families upended by school shootings share trauma in push for gun law changes, but get mixed results

Home > Government > Families upended by school shootings share trauma in push for gun law changes, but get mixed results Covenant School parent Mary Joyce is overcome with emotion as she speaks outside the House chamber a special session of the state legislature on public safety adjourned Aug. 29, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee. Throughout the corridors of many state Capitols, families are sharing emotionally gutting stories of tragedy caused by mass school shootings with the hope that revealing their trauma will convince lawmakers on either side of the political aisle to reconsider firearm policies. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File) NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For nearly a week, families whose lives were upended by a Nashville elementary school shooting took turns sharing dark details to Tennessee lawmakers. Their children thought they were going to die. A teacher told students to race each other, knowing they needed to get some place safe quickly to avoid the spray of bullets. Children died after fire alarm evacuation protocols led one class to collide with the shooter in a hallway. The parents who testified spilled their own stories, but also carried the weight of representing and speaking for the six people — including three children — who were killed by a shooter on March 27 inside The Covenant School. They hoped that doing so during a brief special session in August would compel lawmakers to pass meaningful legislation. “To me, that was the most nerve-wracking piece,” said Melissa Alexander, whose child attends Covenant. “Trying […]

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