When students feel so privileged and entitled and their parents back them by filing lawsuits against the school system is one of the reasons we have such a shortage of teachers.  Who wants to teach in that kind of environment that doesn’t hold students accountable for their actions?  They are allowed to be as disrespectful and obnoxious to their teachers as they want in some cases even violent.

In the Tullahoma High School student case the student was suspended for breaking the rules but the parents filed a lawsuit against the school and Principal instead of holding the student accountable for his actions. The lawsuit claimed he had a panic attack which probably was caused due to the fact there had never been any kind of discipline or responsibility for misbehaving. The lawsuit claimed defamation and First Amendment rights.  The student’s name was never revealed so it should have been thrown out as a bogus claim. Instead, they reversed the decision for suspension and even awarded money to the student.  The school board thought that would be the end but now more lawsuits are being filed and more demand for money.

This reminds me of the Nick Sandmann lawsuit his parents filed after he harassed Nathan Pillips a Native American that was peacefully protesting the treatment of Indigenous in Washington D.C.  The encounter was caught on video and still shots showing Sandmann getting in Mr. Phillips face making fun of the man along with his group all wearing MAGA hats which at the time gave them permission to be as hateful as they wanted to be (2019). In suing CNN, NBC and the Washington Post for defamation (of course) and was awarded millions. Was not held accountable for his actions but instead made him a millionaire. We need some common sense judges to look at all the facts and rule accordingly.

This is a sad and scary state of affairs for our country when people feel they can do whatever they want even break the law and not be held accountable, a perfect example is Trump who has never owned up to any of his misdeeds always claiming he is innocent.  

Lou Lasselle

Tullahoma