‘Bloody and broken.’ KY bill aimed at students who assault teachers advances

A bill requiring a minimum expulsion for older Kentucky students who intentionally assault school employees unanimously passed a legislative committee Thursday, as its sponsor told of a Kentucky teacher who left the profession “bloody and broken.”

Senate Bill 101, sponsored by Matt Nunn, R-Sadieville, focuses on teacher safety and classroom order. It advanced from the Senate Education Committee Thursday morning with several revisions from the original bill.

The bill strengthens protections for teachers and school employees by requiring a 12-month expulsion for students in grades 6-12 who intentionally assault school employees, requiring schools to report assaults and attempted assaults against school staff, and establishing clearer accountability when reporting requirements are not followed.

Following feedback from the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council and other stakeholders, the amended version of SB 101 removes previously proposed criminal penalties and adds clarifications, including protections and exceptions for students with special needs, Nunn told lawmakers Thursday.

“This bill has been shaped through months of discussion with educators, law enforcement, youth advocates and policymakers,” Nunn said in a news release. “Before I was even sworn into office, this bill was my priority. I visited schools, I met with educators and I made a real effort to listen carefully and be amenable to changes based on feedback. What remains after well over a year of deliberation and engagement is a clear message: teacher safety is not negotiable.”

At Thursday’s committee meeting, Nunn read a letter which he said was sent to him from a teacher in his legislative district who said she was violently assaulted by a student with a history of assault. The student’s attack left her with damage to her scapula and her rotator cuff, dislocated ribs, cuts, bruises and a contusion on her head. She said two doctors would not clear her to return to work, according to Nunn.

“I was punched, kicked, stepped on, shoved to the ground,” the teacher’s letter to Nunn said. “My career ended that day. “

“I left bloody and broken,” wrote the teacher, who Nunn did not identify.

The teacher said the student only received a three-day suspension and not because he assaulted her, but because he was involved in a fight with another student as well, according to Nunn.

Teachers “should not be fearful in their workplace ... they should not be fearful of being assaulted,” Nunn said.

More than 25,000 assaults against teachers have been reported statewide since 2021, Nunn said, citing the Kentucky Education Association.

“That number reflects only incidents that were actually reported,” Nunn said in a news release. “Supporters of SB 101 argue that underreporting and inconsistent enforcement have contributed to classroom disruptions and educator burnout. Like most professions, classrooms are experiencing workforce challenges.”

Sen. Reggie Thomas, D-Lexington, voted for the bill, saying teacher safety and teacher respect were needed. However, he said the legislation also needed to address services for students after their yearlong expulsion ends.

The Kentucky Senate has prioritized education-related bills in the first half of the legislative session, the news release noted.

Senate Bill 101 now goes to the full Senate for a vote.