by Rep. Mark Green
Every morning, Tennessee parents wave goodbye to their kids as they head to school. And every morning, teachers open their doors to receive over a million students. Educators are the lifeblood of our communities. Not only do they teach our children, but they also serve as role models and support systems, pouring their hearts into our kids. But increasingly, Tennessee’s teachers are no longer rewarded by their students with a smile, a “thank you,” or an apple on the desk, but instead with pepper spray and a punch to the gut. And when school boards and local leaders turn the other way, it’s no wonder why so many teachers are forced to walk away from their career and the students they love.
A disturbing trend of assaults against teachers is growing in Tennessee. Across the state, many of our educators are forced to face an impossible decision: continue to follow the career they love despite an increase in school violence, or walk away from teaching entirely. This should never be a choice that teachers have to make. But neither is getting pepper sprayed for removing cell phones from the classroom. In Nashville, teachers are being shoved to the ground, cursed at, and then forced to host those students in their classrooms again by their administrators. Our teachers should never be put in this situation. Their job is to educate our kids, not suffer physical and emotional abuse.
In the Metro Nashville Public Schools, vacancies are already up 16 percent, and we cannot afford to lose any more teachers. During my time as a Tennessee State Senator, I authored the Teacher’s Bill of Rights, a bill I was proud to see pass into law. Among those rights was the right to a safe classroom and the ability to report abusive behavior committed by students. Two years ago, Governor Bill Lee signed into law the Teacher’s Discipline Act to increase teachers’ safety in the classroom. While these pieces of legislation have made significant strides in aiding our teachers against this type of behavior, we can do more.
Given this escalation and the increase in teaching vacancies across the state, it’s clear that many of our school districts are not taking this issue seriously. Our teachers are too valuable to lose to preventable behavior. Until school districts, boards, and administrations realize that appeasing violent students doesn’t work, this problem will only continue to escalate. Schools are about more than just learning curriculums; they’re about learning life lessons that transcend far beyond the classroom and help shape America’s youth. In a similar fashion, not properly addressing these issues when they arise will allow problems to ultimately extend beyond the classroom—creating a more dangerous world not just for our teachers and children, but for everyone. Students must be taught that this type of behavior is not only unacceptable but will land them in serious trouble in the real world. Tennessee’s teachers need people in their corner—they need immediate action. We must stand behind our teachers and ensure they have a safe work environment. Accountability for violent students, resources for teachers, and transparency with parents about their children’s behavior are how we’re going to solve this issue.
Schools should be a safe environment for students and teachers alike. Allowing violent behavior against educators sets back learning, squanders teacher retention, and hurts our communities. Something has to change. The future of Tennessee depends on it.
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Congressman Mark Green is a physician and combat veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, where he served three tours. He interviewed Saddam Hussein for six hours on the night of his capture. He is Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and serves on the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees.
