Tennessee’s Zero Tolerance School Threat Law In Need Of Nuance

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

Tennessee’s zero-tolerance school threat is in need of nuance as overreaction to the law by school officials continues.

Last week, an 11-year-old autistic boy was arrested in a restaurant parking lot and separated from his parents after three Chattanooga Prep students made an allegedly false report to a teacher.

According to a report written by the school’s SRO, the autistic boy explained that he had heard students talking about a shooting but had not made any threats himself. Nevertheless, law enforcement tracked down the family one night at Longhorn Steakhouse, handcuffed the boy, and took him into custody.

Tennessee Disability Coalition’s Director of Public Policy Jeff Strand says a change in the law is needed to protect students with disabilities.

The boy and his parents will find out some time this month whether the charges will be dismissed or allowed to stand.

Special education students are more likely to be expelled or suspended than the general population of students when schools follow zero-tolerance policies.

While autistic children and students with other disabilities are given accommodations within a school setting, the new state law governing how school leadership reacts to threats may need to add some guidelines in how it handles students who may simply be parroting what other children around them say.

Since students returned to the classroom following summer break, the Tennessee Department of Safety has investigated over 300 threats made toward schools.

Professional Educators of Tennessee’s JC Bowman says that making parents accountable may make a difference in the number of threats.

With the help of Representative Jay Reedy (R-Erin-District 74), Bowman is proposing legislation that would place students in Juvenile Detention for up to three days after a credible threat is made and have parents reimburse the state for the cost of the detention.

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.