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Tuesday, November 10, 2026Nov 10

What some Tennessee teachers say needs to change for safer schools

A day after a mass shooting at The Covenant School, a woman is overcome with emotion in front of an impromptu memorial. (Tennessee Lookout Photo by John Partipilo)
A day after a mass shooting at The Covenant School, a woman is overcome with emotion in front of an impromptu memorial. (Tennessee Lookout Photo by John Partipilo) A day after a mass shooting at The Covenant School, a woman is overcome with emotion in front of an impromptu memorial. (Tennessee Lookout Photo by John Partipilo)

Brandy Smith is grateful her students are among the youngest on campus.

Too young to question why she has them stand up against the wall, out of sight of the classroom door, or in the corner of the room on drill days.

Too young not to believe her when she promises to keep them safe. Too young to ask why they do active shooter drills at all.

Smith is a pre-K teacher for Metro Nashville Public Schools.

In the weeks since the shooting at The Covenant School, a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, left three adults and three 9-year-olds dead, she’s had a “lot of ups and downs.”