Last fall school districts across the state dealt with a rash of school threats made by students.¶
State Representative Rick Scarbrough, R-Oak Ridge, hopes to ensure parents are better prepared if we see something similar next school year. The former Clinton Police Chief is co-sponsoring legislation with House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, that would require school districts that report credible threats of violence or significantly disruptive behavior to law enforcement, to notify parents within 48 hours.¶
“Unfortunately, we do have tragedies occur in our schools and we do have threats that occur in the schools. Some of em are false calls or there’s nothing to them, but this bill will help encourage school systems to complete that loop of communications with parents,” said Scarbrough. “I think the parents deserve that opportunity to determine if they want their child to be there while this threat is ongoing. Or at least read about or hear about from the school system that there was a threat, it was investigated, dealt with, it was a false call, or they may actually have something substantial that was true.”¶
The legislation will be on the House floor for a vote on Monday and the Senate passed its version of the bill earlier this week. If it passes, school districts would additionally be required to report out the number of incidents reported each quarter.¶
Scarbrough tells the Tennessee Firefly he believes the change will also improve more than communication.¶
“I think honestly, it’s gonna create a better relationship between the school system and the parents. When you’re that transparent and open, there’s going to be trust there involved. There will be trust there as a result,” said Scarbrough.¶
