2014 Tennessee Code
Title 49 - Education
Chapter 6 - Elementary and Secondary Education
Part 40 - Student and Employee Safe Environment Act of 1996
§ 49-6-4008 - Policy regarding teacher's ability to relocate student for safety reasons.

(a) Each local board of education shall adopt a complete policy regarding a teacher's ability to relocate a student from the student's present location to another location for the student's safety or the safety of others. The use of reasonable or justifiable force, as defined in §§ 39-11-603, 39-11-609, 39-11-610, 39-11-612, 39-11-613, 39-11-614, 39-11-621, and 39-11-622, if required to accomplish this task due to the unwillingness of the student to cooperate, is allowed. If steps beyond the use of reasonable or justifiable force are required, the student shall be allowed to remain in place until such a time as local law enforcement officers or school resource officers can be summoned to relocate the student or take the student into custody until such a time as a parent or guardian can retrieve the student. This policy shall also cover teachers' authorization to intervene in a physical altercation between two (2) or more students, or between a student and LEA employees using reasonable or justifiable force upon a student, if necessary to end the altercation by relocating the student to another location.

(b) This policy shall be in effect on school property, as well as at official school functions, including, but not limited to, sporting events and approved field trips, taking place away from the local school property. Those covered by this policy shall include LEA employees who are directly responsible for the student's education or who otherwise interact with the student on a professional basis while acting within the scope of their assigned duties, including, but not limited to, administrators, teachers, school support staff, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and school resource officers.

(c) The policy shall require a teacher to file a brief report with the principal detailing the situation that required the relocation of the student. Either the report shall be kept in a student discipline file and shall not become a part of the student's permanent record or it shall be filed in the student's permanent record, if the student's behavior violated the LEA's zero tolerance policy. The student is then subject to additional disciplinary action that may include suspension or expulsion from the school. The principal or the principal's designee shall notify the teacher involved of the actions taken to address the behavior of the relocated student.

(d) Each principal shall fully support the authority of every teacher in the principal's school to relocate a student under this section. Each school principal shall implement the policies and procedures of the local board of education relating to the authority of every teacher to relocate a student and shall disseminate such policies and procedures to the students, faculty, staff, and parents or guardian of students. The policy shall comply with state and federal laws regarding the placements of students.