Rep. Ragan Introduces Bill To Mandate De-escalation Training For Teachers In Effort To Reduce School Shootings
Image Credit: State Representative John Ragan / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Representative John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge-District 33) has introduced a bill ahead of the upcoming 114th General Assembly that would mandate annual de-escalation training for teachers, amending the Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) Act.
House Bill 1633 (HB1633) would amend Chapter 6, Part 8 of T.C.A. Title 49 pertaining to the SAVE Act that covers school safety issues such as annual armed intruder drills and who is allowed to carry a firearm on school grounds.
The proposed bill would add a new section that would require the Department of Safety to create de-escalation training for all public and charter school employees including teachers and administrators. Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, this yearly training would be mandated for all school personnel.
The Tennessee Conservative asked Ragan for clarification on his bill, asking if it was related primarily to training aimed at de-escalating an armed shooter situation, or for any type of conflict between school students.
In his response, Ragan provided statistics on school shootings from the Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability that shows over 90% of school shooters are male and between the ages of 14 to 19. Over 70% of these shootings began as a dispute that escalated and resulted in violence.
“Consequently and logically, root cause analysis argues for interventions that de-escalate disputes before one of the parties acquires a gun and becomes a shooter,” said Ragan.
Because teachers and administrators are the closest authority figures with an opportunity to de-escalate disputes between potential perpetrators and victims at an early stage, Ragan believes that they should be trained regularly and given the latest techniques to prevent “argument escalation.”
Ragan said, “Regular and effective training offers the teachers, administrators and potential participants the greatest probability of a non-violent resolution to a possible shooting situation.”
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) says that de-escalation techniques can be used to defuse situations with the potential for violence, create calm and decrease the risk of harm to all involved.
CISA released new guidance last month for school staff and authorities on the topic of social media threats.
While providing mitigation and response measures for school districts that are made aware of social media threats, the guidance has a list of resources to help districts be prepared in the event that one of their schools become a target.
According to CISA, schools across the country have experienced an increase in threats of violence originating on social media. While most of the time these threats are the result of a prank or hoax, students, staff and parents all experience increased stress during a potential threat, especially in areas that have lived through the tragedy of a shooter targeting a nearby community’s children.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative.
You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
What a crock of crap. There is only one way to stop a rampage shooter. Why do these elected officials avoid the root of the problem and refuse to protect our children.
As a life long Tennessean I am constantly embarrassed by the people we send to Nashville. They are either crooked or just plain dumb.
A child’s brain is similar to a computer….trash in…trash out. We have created a lot of these issues by pumping trash into these young minds. Lock the doors, arm the teachers, bring discipline back to the classroom and have accountability.
Amen Charles! These so-called representatives of the people need to listen to the people and keep there brilliant ideas to themselves.
Out illustrate representatives don’t get paid for common sense solutions. They get paid for mental health care. Which this legislation is moving towards.
What a load of garbage, these are teachers not the police. If you idiots want to help solve the problem, Jail time, mental health, and Firearms training for the teachers that want to . There is only one way to put down a rabid dog!
De-escalation training was part of the Concealed Carry License Program I receieved in Texas and it is one reason I still advocate CCW Permits vs “Constitutional Carry”.
It’s simple and it’s better than shooting someone because then, you are in for an average of $20,000 legal fees (years ago) even if you are aquitted in criminal court and, say the wrong thing, civil court can still rake you over the coals.
The training included just what to say.
No, de-escalation won’t always work and it’s not really intended to stop an active shooter, but it can prevent one and may become applicable with an active shooter under some circumstances. It isn’t difficult. I still remember it becasue like most tactics, it’s really just common snese that you wouldn’t ordinarily think about. It’s always best to have all that thinking done beofre we get the adrenaline rush. Right?
In a larger sense, you want the good guys with guns to outnumber the bad guys with guns and CCW Permits were good for that. Firearms are line of sight weapons. If you don’t see it, usually, you are OK. When you see them all over, you never know. Police should be able to stop a guy carrying a weapon and demand to see something that attests to the fact he’s a ghood guy and then arrest teh bad guy who can’t pass a background check.
It’s no magic bullet but it was something.