§ 49-6-4505 — Reprisal or retaliation prohibited - Reporting harassment, intimidation, bullying or cyber-bullying - Immunity from damages

(a) A school employee, student or volunteer may not engage in reprisal or retaliation against a victim of, witness to, or person with reliable information about an act of harassment, intimidation, bullying or cyber-bullying. (b) A school employee, student or volunteer who witnesses or has reliable information that a student has been subjected to an act of harassment, intimidation, bullying or cyber-bullying is encouraged to report the act to the appropriate school official designated by the school district's policy. (c) A school employee who promptly reports an act of harassment, intimidation, bullying or cyber-bullying to the appropriate school official in compliance with the procedures set forth in the school district's policy is immune from a cause of action for damages arising from any failure to remedy the reported act. (d) Notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c), a school employee, student or volunteer who witnesses or possesses reliable information that a student has transmitted by an electronic device any communication containing a credible threat to cause bodily injury or death to another student or school employee shall report such information to the appropriate school official designated by the policy of the school district. Such school official shall make a determination regarding the administration of the report.

Legislative History

Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 248,s 69, eff. 5/2/2019. Acts 2005, ch. 202, § 1; 2011, ch. 251, § 1; T.C.A. § 45-6-1018; Acts 2013, ch. 375, § 2.