Tennessee Lawmakers Pass Fix to School Threats Law After Kids Were Arrested for Jokes and Misunderstandings
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Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill to amend the state's law regarding threats of mass violence in schools, following instances of children, many with disabilities and students of color, being charged with felonies for jokes and misunderstandings. The legislation, expected to be signed by Governor Bill Lee, now requires school officials to report student threats to police only if they are deemed "credible," meaning reasonably expected to be carried out. This change addresses concerns that the previous law led to unnecessary arrests and felony charges, even when threats were not serious. The amendment was prompted by advocacy efforts and investigations highlighting cases where children were wrongly accused, leading to lawsuits and settlements against school districts. The bill aims to prevent the arrest of students, particularly those with disabilities, for statements they are unlikely to act upon.
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AI-ExtractedAnother family won a $100,000 settlement against a Chattanooga public charter school.
One of the youngest children charged with a felony last year was 6.
The new bill requires school officials to only report student threats to police if a threat is “credible.”
Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation to fix the state’s controversial threats of mass violence law.
In some counties, it has become a standard practice to charge every threat even if it has been deemed not credible.
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