KNOXVILLE Tenn. (WATE) — On July 1, many new laws went into effect, one being that bullying in Tennessee now carries a new penalty for minors: the loss of driving privileges.
A new Tennessee state law is cracking down on bullying and hitting teens where it hurts: the driver’s seat. Under the new legislation, driving privileges will be taken away from any minor found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying in juvenile court.
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“Many times that we hear about terrible events like acts of violence or suicides, we blame bullying, and I had noticed that nothing was being done about it. I had a constituent that had a child that was bullied in school, and the school wouldn’t anything, and the totality of everything that I’ve been hearing, I thought it would be best to address the situation. And to my knowledge, it’s the only law like this in the country,” explained Lowell Russell, the 21st District Tennessee State Representative.This means a full year without a license or permit either suspending what they already have or delaying the chance to get behind the wheel. In some cases, exceptions can be made for driving to work, school or church.“I think just being able to take that privilege away will get their attention and not be mean to others. So, we hope this brings good results. Keep in mind that bullying is just not a present-day matter; it can have lifelong effects throughout their lives due to the consequences of being bullied. It’s something that needs to be talked about,” added RussellOther lawmakers however have concerns. State Representative Gloria Johnson says the intent with this legislation was good but maybe not the best approach for all children.“We want them to understand what it means to be a bully and to stop the behavior. And so, if you want to stop the behavior, you have to address the behavior in a sensible way, not just punished. It just doesn’t work the same for every child. And you learn this as an educator and as a teacher, especially a teacher who works specifically with kids with behavioral issues. You’ve got to make sure that the punishment fits what they did,” said Johnson.
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The law is now in effect across the state. This measure builds on Tennessee’s efforts from last year to combat bullying. Johnson says she’d like to see an addition where another acceptable place to drive is to mental health and doctor appointments…