As we’ve been reporting, there have been several threats of mass violence against schools in the Chattanooga area.
In the first 21 days of this school year, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office charged eight students with making threats, compared to seven in the entire 2023-24 school year.
Under Tennessee law, threats of mass violence include any act that a reasonable person would conclude could lead to the serious bodily injury or death of two or more people. The threat can be made in any form, including text messages, diagrams, and social media posts.
In 2023, lawmakers added threatening mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity to the list of actions considered a zero-tolerance offense. This offense results in a one-year expulsion unless modified by the superintendent. The law says that threats are considered a felony.
