A public charter school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has agreed to a $100,000 settlement with the family of an 11-year-old boy. The settlement addresses a federal lawsuit claiming the school improperly reported the boy to police for an alleged threat of mass violence.
The situation arose at the start of the school year when the boy, who is autistic, overheard a conversation between two students. The discussion included a question about potentially shooting up the school. The boy, referred to here as Junior to protect his privacy, perceived one of the students as likely to respond affirmatively and said yes on their behalf. Following this, students reported Junior as having made a threat against the school.
Although school administrators initially allowed his return the next day, a sheriff’s deputy later detained Junior at a family birthday dinner, handcuffing him in a restaurant parking lot.
ProPublica and WPLN News previously reported on this case as part of a broader investigation into a Tennessee law classifying mass violence threats at schools as a felony.
As part of the settlement, Chattanooga Preparatory School has agreed to conduct training on handling school threats. This includes ensuring that only credible threats are reported to police and distinguishing between innocuous remarks and imminent threats.
A final hearing on the settlement will be held by a federal judge on July 1. The family’s lawyer noted that this settlement is the first known monetary agreement related to challenging this specific law. Chattanooga Prep has not commented on the settlement.
Junior’s mother, Torri, described the settlement as “bittersweet.” She noted that Junior remains fearful of police due to the incident, which culminated in juvenile detention, although his case was dismissed in December. Torri, who provided only her first name to protect her son’s privacy, expressed relief that school staff would receive better training.
“I don’t want anyone — any child, anyone, any parent — to go through it or witness it,” she stated. “Other kids will be more protected if they are ever put in that situation.”
The lawsuit argued that Chattanooga Prep was at fault for reporting Junior’s statements to police as a valid threat, despite knowing they were not. The school’s lack of a formal response to the lawsuit was noted.
During the last legislative session, concerns were raised about the law affecting children with disabilities, but no changes were made. Instead, a similar statute was introduced, potentially increasing penalties for children.
The family’s lawyer, Justin Gilbert, expressed hope that this settlement would prompt legislative reassessment and changes to the law.
Gilbert remarked, “Monetary figures — for better or for worse — can be a driver for policy change, and sometimes legislators can react to that, school districts can react to that.” He emphasized the importance of revisiting the terms of the settlement to enact preventive measures against unnecessary arrests and expulsions of children.
