Memphis-Shelby County Schools won’t allow teachers to carry weapons on school property.

The district delivered the news in a joint public-service announcement with the Memphis Police Department and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday, May 22. 

The announcement was made weeks after the Tennessee General Assembly passed a law allowing districts to arm educators. Several suburban municipal school districts in Shelby County already announced they would not allow their staff to carry guns on campuses.

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“We will not allow teachers to carry guns in our schools,” said Superintendent Marie N. Feagins, adding the law is “controversial.”

Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said “schools are for learning.”

“... And emergency situations should be handled by trained officers,” Bonner said. 

“And the district has made it a priority to keep them that way through security upgrades and updates,” MPD Interim Chief C.J. Davis said.

She also said the school district and law enforcement are “united” on the issue.

The MSCS school board passed a resolution April 30 that prohibits employees from carrying firearms on campus.

It states: “The Board does not believe that arming school staff is the most effective approach for Memphis-Shelby County Schools. That is the expectation of the Board that school staff serve first and foremost as trained, focused, and dedicated educators, not law enforcement and/or security officers.”

The law, which the state Legislature passed in April, permits a faculty or staff member to carry a concealed handgun with approval from the school principal, superintendent and the chief of the local law-enforcement agency.

“On behalf of Memphis-Shelby County Schools, I want to thank Chief Davis and Sheriff Bonner for their ongoing partnership and support in keeping our students and families safe. Thank you also to the community for your commitment and collaboration in moving Memphis forward together,” Feagins said in the MSCS video announcement.

While officials with Germantown, Collierville and Bartlett school districts were not immediately available, the other three municipal districts reiterated their stance on the matter. Superintendent Bo Griffin of Millington Municipal Schools affirmed Wednesday an earlier decision to not arm teachers.

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In Lakeland, Superintendent Ted Horrell said that district, following SCSO’s lead, also would not arm staff members.

“Lakeland School System defers on issues of security to our partners in the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office,” Horrell said. “The sheriff does not support armed staff in school buildings beyond our assigned school-resources officers at Lakeland Preparatory School and our armed security guard at Lakeland Elementary. Therefore, Lakeland School System has no plans to have additional armed staff members in our schools next year.”

Arlington Superintendent Jeff Mayo sent an email to employees recently saying his school district will not allow teachers to be armed. He said the town has a SCSO substation nearby and each of the schools has officers.

“(On-campus officers) constantly patrol our campuses ensuring a safe and secure environment while building meaningful connections with students across all grade levels,” Mayo’s email said. “Their presence offers reassurance and peace of mind to parents, visitors, employees and students alike.”

Abigail Warren contributed to this story.