NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — State lawmakers are looking for new ways to make schools even safer for your children.
Today, the Senate will vote on a bill to require de-escalation training for school staff.
Senator Joey Hensley of Hohenwald sponsored this bill. He says one way to prevent putting children in harms way is through de-escalation training.
The training would include verbal and non-verbal techniques to resolve conflict. It would be required annually for teachers, administrators, and other school personnel in all public-school districts and public charter schools.
Hensley says not only will this make schools safer, but he says it can also serve as a model for students.
"Over 4 in 10 school shootings in Tennessee result from dispute escalations. Less than half occur inside school buildings...this bill would increase safety for our state's children and educators, reduces the likelihood of shootings, death and serious injury."
Hensley says this training would help in all types of scenarios, whether it's a worst-case incident involving a gun or just a fight. This is up for a vote in the full Senate today.
It's still making its way through committees in the House.
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
