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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Attempting to clarify and strengthen “zero tolerance” policies in schools, Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill-District 92) and Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28) have introduced the “Tennessee School Safety Act of 2026” which will require students who repeatedly threaten mass violence to submit to a psychiatric evaluation and be removed from the school until cleared by a medical professional.
Under current state statute, threatening mass violence falls under the state’s definition of a “zero tolerance offense”, and HB1507/SB1627 seeks to provide more resources and actionable consequences for schools to enforce the law.
Per the legislation, if a student has been expelled on two or more separate occasions for threatening mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity, the student shall be required to submit to a psychiatric examination by a qualified medical professional to determine if the student is a threat to the school and can safely return.
The director of schools or head of a public charter school cannot authorize the student to return until they have received documentation from the medical professional finding the student is no longer a threat and can safely return to school or school-related activities.
HB1507 has been assigned to the House Education Administration Subcommittee, though it has yet to be assigned a hearing date, and SB1627 is awaiting a committee assignment.
Enforcement of the mass violence zero tolerance policy has become somewhat controversial as of late as some districts have been accused of overly rigid enforcement and questions have been raised about the legislature’s intent of the law versus a school district’s specific enaction of it, resulting in several lawsuits.
In 2024, a Marion County family sued the county and board of education claiming their 14-year-old son’s First Amendment rights had been violated by misinterpreting a hyperbolic remark as a threat of mass violence. The teenager involved was arrested and expelled after telling a friend to “stop tapping that pencil before I bomb you.” The lawsuit contended the student was punished for using a specific word rather than the context in which it was said and that no threat assessment was conducted by the school as required by state law.
In 2025, a public charter school in Chattanooga entered a $100,00 settlement with the family of an 11-year-old autistic boy after the school filed an inaccurate report claiming the boy threatened mass violence against the school. School administrators reportedly investigated the incident and sent the boy home for the day, saying he could return the next day, but then reported the incident to law enforcement who arrested the child later that night at a family birthday dinner.
Another case in Metro Nashville Public Schools saw a 12-year-old boy expelled after he reposted screenshots of a text message that seemed to threaten violence at local schools. The student allegedly saw the images online and reposted them to serve as a warning, but school officials expelled him with little investigation into the incident.
Months later, when parents were finally able to meet with administrators, school officials placed responsibility for the expulsion on law enforcement officials but could not answer any questions about how they determined the validity of the threat. Despite experts who said the school did not properly follow threat assessment protocol, the school system did not allow the boy to return to school, even after the charges against him were dropped.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
