TN students who make ‘mass violence’ threats will face one-year expulsion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - At the beginning of July, a new law went into effect requiring stricter penalties for students who make threats of mass violence against schools.

The Tennessee Legislature made a new law that would expel a student for no less than one calendar year if a student violated a zero-tolerance offense. A zero-tolerance offense, according to the new law, is one of the following:

• A student brings or has an unauthorized firearm on school property
• A student commits aggravated assault or assault on a teacher, principal, administrator or any other employee of an LEA or a school resource officer.
• A student has unlawful possession of any drug on school grounds or at a school-sponsored event.

On March 13, the Tennessee Legislature added an amendment that included the following as a part of the zero-tolerance offenses:

“A student threatened mass violence, meaning an act which a reasonable person could conclude would lead to serious bodily injury or death of two or more persons, on school property or at a school-related activity.”

The Tennessee Legislature said that a director of schools may modify an expulsion on a case-by-case basis.

Copyright 2023 WSMV. All rights reserved.