News brief

Associated Press

Tennessee Republicans pass gun law for teachers. Tennessee House Republicans passed a bill that would allow some teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on public school grounds, and bar parents and other teachers from knowing who was armed. The 68-28 vote in favor of the bill sent it to Republican Gov. Bill Lee for consideration. If he signs it into law, it would be the biggest expansion of gun access in the state since last year’s deadly shooting at a private elementary school in Nashville.

Places where Americans of good will listen to one another respectfully about tough issues can be hard to find. In deeply Christian Tennessee, people are turning to churches to host civil debates on gun safety.