A bill was presented on the House floor in Tennessee on Monday, which aims to classify making threats against schools as a felony. This comes on the same day when two Middle Tennessee schools had to cancel classes due to a threat.
Rep. Bo Mitchell, a Democrat from Nashville, took the initiative to draft House Bill 2198 in response to a harrowing incident at his son’s school. Last September, the school was forced to go on lockdown due to a serious threat.
Mitchell arrived at the school that day following the threat. Police helicopters hovered above, and there were approximately 200 officers present. The tactical SWAT team was preparing to enter the building and search each room. Reflecting on the experience, Mitchell emphasized the impact it had on parents who received text messages from their children hiding in a storage room closet. These messages conveyed their preparedness, with one stating, “My teacher has a hammer and we have scissors. We’re ready.” Mitchell highlighted how such messages would undoubtedly make a difference to any parent in that situation.
The proposed bill, HB2198, aims to toughen the consequences for individuals who make threats against schools in Tennessee. If passed, the legislation would elevate the offense from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. This means that those found guilty of making school threats could face a minimum prison sentence of one year. The bill seeks to send a strong message that such threats will not be tolerated and will be met with severe punishment.
According to Mitchell, when someone makes a threat like that, they should face consequences. By taking action and prosecuting them, not only will it deter them from repeating their actions, but it will also send a strong message to others that such behavior will not be tolerated.
The bill made its way to the House floor on Monday, coinciding with the cancellation of classes at two schools in Middle TN following a threat. Christ Presbyterian Academy spokesperson revealed that the school received a message on Sunday, March 24, from an individual who used unsettling language regarding the safety of their campus. In light of this, nearby Currey Ingram Academy also decided to cancel classes as a precautionary measure due to its close proximity to CPA.
According to the latest Tennessee Safe Schools report, there has been a notable increase in threats like these. For instance, bomb threats targeting schools surged from 44 incidents in the 2021-2022 academic year to 84 incidents in the subsequent school year, as stated in the report.
According to Rudy Perez, the president of the National Association of School Resource Officers and assistant chief of the Golden Valley Police Department near Minneapolis, school threats can be categorized into four main types: environmental, internal, external, and cyber threats. These threats encompass various forms, including swatting or ransomware attacks.
As the detective in charge, Perez gained firsthand experience of the impact that threats can have on schools. This was evident when a threat was directed towards a school district in Los Angeles, resulting in a devastating cost of $80 million for the district.
According to Perez, the situation in schools is concerning. Some children are not attending school, while others feel unsafe when they do. Additionally, law enforcement officers have had to patrol the campuses to ensure safety, which has been a significant challenge. Perez emphasizes the impact of this on the educational process, stating that the number of hours lost is immeasurable.
Perez urges parents to actively engage and report any suspicious activity to help thwart potential threats in schools. He also highlights the valuable resources provided by the Tennessee School Resource Officers Association, which parents in Tennessee can leverage for guidance and support.
The full House of Representatives heard the bill on Monday afternoon. It easily passed the House with a vote of 90-0-5. Democratic Representatives Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville), Bob Freeman (D-Nashville), Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), Justin Jones (D-Nashville), and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) were present but did not vote.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to review Lundberg’s Senate version of the bill on Tuesday, March 26, before it proceeds to the full floor.
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