– Blame Gov. Bill Lee lawsuit
– New law punishing Tennessee middle school kids.
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Two families have filed lawsuits against Gov. Bill Lee and the Williamson County School District, alleging that their middle school children were wrongfully arrested, strip-searched, placed in solitary confinement, transferred to alternative schools, and subjected to months of intrusive home visits by social workers and probation officers. The incidents stemmed from school officials misinterpreting conversations between peers as “threats of mass violence.”
The lawsuit, brought by the families of a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy who were arrested and expelled in separate incidents, contends that neither child had actually made any threats of violence. Instead, the families claim that the school officials overreacted to the situations, with one principal citing new laws signed by Gov. Lee as the reason for their actions.
Unjust Accusations and Overreach
The 14-year-old boy, referred to as “B.N.,” denies making any threats and stated that his only mention of guns was in a conversation with a classmate about firearms owned by the classmate’s grandfather. Despite this, he was accused of threatening to bring guns to school and having a bomb at home. The principal of Page Middle School, Eric Lifsey, allegedly told the boy’s parents that they could blame Governor Bill Lee for the situation, acknowledging that they did not view the boy as a threat.
According to Larry Crain, the attorney representing the families, the actions taken against the students were an overreach and misapplication of the law, resulting in a violation of their constitutional rights. Crain believes that other students may have also been unjustly punished and could potentially join the lawsuit in the future.
Williamson County Schools declined to comment on the ongoing litigation, and no data on the number of students disciplined for alleged mass violence threats was immediately provided. A spokesperson for Gov. Lee did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Challenges to “Zero Tolerance” Policy
The lawsuit challenges the implementation of the 2023 “zero tolerance” law in Williamson County schools, which mandates a one-year expulsion for students found to have made threats of mass violence. The law defines such threats as speech that a “reasonable person” would interpret as likely to result in serious bodily harm or the death of two or more individuals.
In the case of the 13-year-old girl, identified as “H.M.,” school administrators cited a message she sent in a school email group chat stating, “On Thursday, we will kill all the Mexicos.” The full transcript of the chat revealed that the comment was made in jest after H.M. was teased by classmates for her appearance.
Following the message, H.M. was arrested at school, taken to the Williamson County Juvenile Detention Center, subjected to a strip search, and placed in a cell where she was questioned about personal matters. The ordeal lasted for over 24 hours before her parents were allowed to see her. Subsequently, H.M. was ordered to undergo mental health evaluations and faced the possibility of involuntary commitment.
Legislative Response and Advocacy
Earlier this year, lawmakers passed legislation imposing stricter penalties for threats of mass violence on school properties or at school-related events, classifying such actions as felonies. Gov. Lee signed this measure into law on May 1.
However, youth advocates have expressed concerns about the impact of these laws, warning that they could result in more students facing unnecessary expulsions and prolonged interventions that disrupt their lives. Zoe Jamail, a staff attorney with Disability Rights Tennessee, emphasized the need for a balanced approach to addressing school threats that prioritizes reason over fear and safeguards the well-being of students and teachers without needlessly involving them in the justice system.
The families involved in the lawsuit seek justice for the wrongful actions taken against their children and hope to bring attention to the potential consequences of overzealous enforcement of laws aimed at preventing school violence.
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– Blame Gov. Bill Lee lawsuit Tennessee middle school kids
– New law wrongly punishing Tennessee middle school.
