Teens Guilty of Bullying Could Lose Drivers' Licenses Under Tennessee Law

New York Times

3 days ago

Teenagers in Tennessee who are found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying could have their drivers' licenses suspended for a year under a new state law that went into effect on Tuesday.
Supporters hope the law will deter young people from bullying by letting them know they could lose a coveted privilege. But critics questioned whether it would actually make teenagers think twice about their behavior.
'Certainly what we know from adolescent development is adolescents don't necessarily connect long-term consequences with their behavior in the moment,' said Susan M. Swearer, chairwoman of the department of educational psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a director of the Bullying Research Network. Research shows psychological interventions are more effective than punishment at stopping bullying, she said.
State Representative Lowell Russell, a Republican who sponsored the legislation in the Tenneseee House, said he got the idea from a constituent whose son was being bullied in school and who felt the school was not taking action to stop it. Mr. Russell said he was also disturbed by news reports of bullying victims growing up to commit acts of violence or dying by suicide.
'My hope is it will save lives and prevent people from getting hurt because when they're bullied in the K-to-12 grades, that has long-term mental health effects,' Mr. Russell said.
Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed the bill into law in April after the Tennessee House passed it by a vote of 85 to 10 and the State Senate by a vote of 26 to 0. It expands on a measure that Tenneseee lawmakers passed last year that defined bullying and cyberbullying as distinct offenses under the state's laws against harassment.
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