School Threats Laws: 2 States Follow Tennessee
- Georgia and New Mexico are implementing stricter laws targeting school threats, mirroring a Tennessee law that has faced scrutiny for leading to arrests based on questionable threats.
- In Tennessee, a 2024 law classifying threats of mass violence as a felony has resulted in students being arrested for non-credible threats.
- while tennessee schools are required to assess the validity of threats before expelling students, the felony law doesn't impose the same standard on police.This discrepancy has led to...
Georgia and New Mexico are enacting tougher school threat laws, following Tennessee’s lead, but these changes raise a pivotal question: how far should penalties go? The primary_keyword, “school threats laws,” is under scrutiny as the shift towards felony charges sparks debate around student arrests, especially for non-credible threats. News Directory 3 reports on cases where young students, including those with disabilities, face serious legal consequences, highlighting the balance between safety and protecting students’ rights. As states grapple with the secondary_keyword, “arrest concerns,” and implement these measures, what impact will stricter rules have on schools and communities? Discover what’s next …
States Toughen School Threat Laws Amid Arrest Concerns
Updated June 13, 2025
Georgia and New Mexico are implementing stricter laws targeting school threats, mirroring a Tennessee law that has faced scrutiny for leading to arrests based on questionable threats. These legislative actions come amid growing debate over balancing school safety and protecting students’ rights.
In Tennessee, a 2024 law classifying threats of mass violence as a felony has resulted in students being arrested for non-credible threats. One instance involved an autistic 13-year-old arrested for saying his backpack would explode. Another case saw an 11-year-old arrested after overhearing and affirming a student’s comment about a potential school shooting. A lawsuit was settled for $100,000 after school officials wrongly reported the 11-year-old to police.
while tennessee schools are required to assess the validity of threats before expelling students, the felony law doesn’t impose the same standard on police.This discrepancy has led to arrests of students without intent to disrupt or carry out a threat. Efforts to amend the law to require credible threats for arrests were unsuccessful.
Despite concerns, Greg Mays, the deputy commissioner of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, maintains the law has a deterrent effect. Though, data indicates an increase in criminal charges for threats of mass violence in juvenile court, with 652 charges this school year compared to 519 the previous year. The youngest child charged was 6 years old.
Tennessee has further toughened its stance by adding a higher-level felony for knowingly making a school threat against four or more people if others reasonably believe the threat will be carried out. Advocates worry this will exacerbate confusion among police and school officials.
Following Tennessee’s lead, New Mexico increased the charge for shooting threats from a misdemeanor to a felony, requiring that