NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — "We weren't promised anything big. We didn't have high expectations...but I thought we would do better than this," Sarah Neumann, Covenant parent, said.
"I'm saddened for all Tennesseeans that had hoped for more,"
David Teague, dad of two sons at Covenant, said.
Covenant parents are disappointed at the lack of action from the legislative special session over the past few days.
According to Covenant mom Mary Joyce, none of the bills that Covenant parents discussed with lawmakers passed in the special session.
When NewsChannel 5's Hannah McDonald asked what they have learned from being in the Capitol so often, meeting with legislation individually and standing out against gun violence, the response was honest admission of where they stand, and a persistent hope to fight back.
"This is all fluid. the motivations behind our politicians is exactly what our worst fear is. Money speaks louder than we do, so if we are saying 'we want you to do this,' what it comes down to is 'how much money do you have' to push them into action, and we don't have enough," Joyce said.
Neumann pushed for action.
"We're not talking about traffic lights in a football stadium. These are all of our kids lives," she said. "The atmosphere's gotta change, and we'll work towards that. We'll take down the names of those who don't deserve a seat here and we'll make sure someone replaces them with the right motivations."
How can you help in the next several months?
Joyce asked people listening to talk to ten friends, ask if someone can go to the Capitol or call a representative and talk about the issues at hand. Neumann said to pay attention to local elections, do your research and figure out who is representing you because they are making big decision s about your life. Teague said it's a relay race, because it will take hand-offs to multiple people to get anything done.
For them, it is about protecting the community from what their kids had to experience, not about politics, and it takes a village.
"We have remained composed and bipartisan because at the end of the day this is not a political issue. We are mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles. We are family," Joyce said.
The parents are asking for some space to rest and regain strength, then return again with full hope. They thanked all the Tennesseeans who have been supportive of them in the marathon so far.
