NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A bill goes up for a full Senate vote today that aims to make school a little safer for your children by toughening the penalty for threats of mass violence toward schools.
Currently, it's a Class A misdemeanor if someone calls up a school or even makes a post online threatening to commit an act of mass violence on school property or at a school activity. The new bill aims to make it a Class E felony. Lawmakers say it's part of a larger effort to protect your children and the dedicated workers at schools in the state.
This bill gained momentum after two Nashville area private schools — Christ Presbyterian Academy and Currey Ingram Academy — had to cancel classes in March because they were the target of school threats.
Those threats came on the same day the Tennessee House of Representatives considered the bill.
This bill doesn't just punish those from outside the school that make threats. If a student inside the school does it too, they could face prison time. There was an amendment added to this bill clarifying that these new, tougher penalties would not apply to a person proven to have an intellectual disability.
If the bill passes the Senate vote, it goes to the governor's desk for his signature. We know every possible change in your child's school policy is important to you, so we'll be sure to keep you updated on this.
This is a story I immediately went home and showed my boys - young athletes with big dreams. The Vanderbilt football team's success has stolen the spotlight - what I love about Steve Layman's story is he reveals the individual hardships it took to get there. As Clark Lea says, "we all have scuff marks." This team proves perseverance pays off!
- Carrie Sharp
