Northeast TN law enforcement in favor of upping penalty for making school threats

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Tennessee House of Representatives has passed a bill that would increase the charge for a school threat from a misdemeanor to a felony in Tennessee.

It is now up to the Tennessee Senate to make it official.

The bill, which sailed through the House with bipartisan support, would make threatening mass violence at a school a Class E felony, which carries a sentence of 1-6 years in prison and up to $3,000 in fines.

Several schools in the Tri-Cities area have dealt with threats of violence recently. In February, a West Ridge High School student was charged after Sullivan County investigators said he made threats against others on a school bus.

Law enforcement reports similar threats are on the rise. Whether the threats are so-called hoaxes or not, school resource officers say each threat is investigated the same way. Often, officers work through the night to determine if it’s safe for the school to remain open. When schools are closed, it causes anxiety and fear among students, parents and the public.

That’s why Sullivan County school resource officer Sergeant Brandon Carter said he supports increasing the criminal penalties for threats.

“The safety of schools [and] the kids are paramount,” Carter said. “Anything we can do to increase what follows our investigation, penalties and punishments for this.”

Currently, making a school threat is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 11 months 29 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. But State Senator John Lundberg from Bristol, who is sponsoring the senate version of the bill, said making it a felony is a more appropriate punishment.

“When you get to a felony, you have something that is on your record permanently, and it also carries 1-6 years in prison,” Lundberg said. “So hopefully, it’ll never be utilized, but we want to send a message this isn’t something that anyone is going to take lightly.”

Lundberg said it would be up to a district attorney to decide whether or not a juvenile caught making a threat would be charged as an adult.

Carter said he and the other school resource officers plan on meeting with students to emphasize just how serious making a threat is.

Both the House and Senate bills provide an exception for people with intellectual disabilities as defined by state law.

If the bill passes the Senate and is signed by Governor Bill Lee, it will become law in July.

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