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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
After passing in the Senate in a unanimous vote in March, legislation that criminalizes bullying or cyberbullying by a teacher passed on the House floor earlier this week in a rare vote in which every Representative voted affirmatively.
While the House moved to substitute and conform to the Senate Bill (SB1774), it also passed an amendment which necessitated a return trip to the Senate on Wednesday for another vote, 31 to 0, so that they could concur the House amendment.
The legislation (HB1733) clarifies that a teacher or school employee of an LEA who is found to have harassed, intimidated, bullied, or cyberbullied a student will be subject to suspension or dismissal.
The soon-to-be law defines bullying as any act that “substantially interferes with a victim’s educational benefits, opportunities, or performance, including if the act physically harms the victim, damages their property, makes the victim fear for their physical safety or that their property will be damages, and otherwise creates significant disruption to the student’s ability to learn and their educational environment.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
