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The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
A new Tennessee law increases the consequences of bullying and cyberbullying, making the penalty the same as that for harassment.
HB2590/SB1887, sponsored by Representative Lowell Russell (R-Vonore-District 21) and Senator Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun-District 1), received unanimous approval from both the Tennessee House and Senate before being signed by Governor Lee last month.
According to the new law, bullying is defined as “an act that substantially interferes with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities, or performance; and if the act takes place off school property or outside of a school-sponsored activity, it is directed specifically at a student or students and has the effect of creating a hostile educational environment or otherwise creating a substantial disruption to the education environment or learning process; or if the act takes place on school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity, on school-provided equipment or transportation or at any official school bus stop.”
The new law (Public Chapter 797) mandates that officers make an official report if they are aware that a minor has been a victim of bullying or cyberbullying. They must also notify parents of the incident if the victim is a minor.
Once it is in effect, students aged 18 or older who are found guilty of bullying will face a Class A misdemeanor. Those under 18 will be charged with a delinquent act.
The new law will go into effect on July 1, 2024.
3 Responses
How sad……bullying back in my day was bad enough, but CYBER bullying is a whole new level of horrible. Add that with the fact that all the kids are hyper-sensitive to any criticism because of the left’s PC baloney, everyone is walking on eggshells all the time. I am more worried about the teachers to be honest. I spoke to a teacher the other day while waiting in line……she told me that kids that want to be “normal” meaning “not trans” are treated as though something is wrong with them, BY THE TEACHERS!!!!!! To make things worse, she also told me that they are in cahoots with the Doctor’s on giving medical exams…..such as Gynecologic and breast exams for the males that “identify as women.” So…our Doctor’s are being told to go along with the fantasy for the sake of “their feelings” not being hurt! I almost lost it. We have to stop this madness!
Stupid as all get out. We are already creating snowflakes.
Now they will be half melted snowflakes.
So, the Republicans and conservatives (I mean right-wingers) have finally come out against bullying? Considering that they have committed all sorts of bullying against youth who are handicapped, trans-gender, low-income, non-white, or who have non-orthodox political views like conscientious objection or pacifism, this is quite a change. Sounds too good to be true to me. It’s like that old saying on that old 1951-to-1953 television series, “The Racket Squad” where Bunko Squad Captain John Braddock (played by Reed Hadley) would say, “If something seems too good to be true, it probably IS too good to be true.”