NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee is grappling with an alarming surge in school threats, prompting lockdowns and multiple arrests. Just last month, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security investigated 125 threats in a single week.
It's enough to make many parents worry.
Sierra Barnett, a mother and volunteer with Moms Demand Action, expressed her growing concern over the safety of children in schools.
"You want to live in a community where you feel safe. For many of us, including myself, I trust our law enforcement to do their job," Barnett said.
Despite feeling safe in her community and her trust in local law enforcement in Wilson County, Barnett is troubled by the prevalence of threats in what should be safe learning environments.
“These should be places of joy and learning, not fear for anyone—parents, kids, teachers, or school resource officers,” she added.
From August 1 to September 14, Tennessee Homeland Security agents documented 321 reports of school threats, a number that has only continued to grow. Threats have been reported across the state.
Just this week, a ninth-grade student in Metro Nashville was charged with making threats of mass violence, and the day prior, an 11th grader at Whites Creek High School was arrested for stating he would "blow the school up."
Barnett pointed out that many students who make these threats may not grasp the serious implications of their actions. “They don’t understand the gravity and consequences,” she said.
In response to the rising threats, Tennessee has toughened its laws, upgrading the penalty for threatening mass violence on school grounds from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony, which could result in jail time.
Barnett advocates for safe storage laws and red flag laws to prevent students from accessing firearms.
“My biggest concern is for these kids who have made threats. They’re likely to return to homes with firearms, and with no secure storage law in place, that poses a serious risk,” she warned.
According to a recent post from the Metro Nashville Police Department, six students have been arrested this school year alone for making threats against Metro Nashville Public Schools.
Law enforcement agencies across the state are calling on parents to talk to their kids about the consequences of making threats against a school.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me kelsey.gibbs@newschannel5.com).
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
