Fights have become big entertainment for young minds in schools all over the nation. Everyone gathers around with their phones to record and malignantly begin posting several angles of the fight to social media, enticing and encouraging violence in the golden-arched name of entertainment. Imagine just how quickly it spreads, spilling out to the far reaches of the internet in a day, maybe less. Well, what if one of those people in the fight gets bitter and decides to take revenge; what happens then?

With the passage of the new Tennessee bill banning the recording of any altercation in a school building, anyone caught sharing or recording a fight is subject to a misdemeanor, and if the victim is less than thirteen years of age, they could be charged with a felony.

“It’s all about trying to prevent more problems,” explained Central School Resource Officer, AJ Giradot. “Laws by nature are subjective, but the general rule of thumb is to go by what a normal person would consider embarrassing. That means no recording fights, intimate areas, or anything that is purposeful in its intent to offend.”

Though this bill wholeheartedly applies to the banning of recording fights, it wasn’t made specifically for this reason. It is a bill that prevents unlawful photography. Photography in this context is anything that is on film, thus would also not permit, for example, the taking of a photo or video over the bathroom stall. If a fight is recorded the device is then revoked and stored as evidence to be destroyed after it’s used.

“At its core, it’s to stop people from recording things that violate the privacy of others.” continues Officer Giradot.

Next time you hear or see a fight, whether at Central or in the cold autumn streets of downtown, stop and think twice before pulling out your phone and posting to social media. If you can be sure of anything in life, it is that you will be caught and that the consequences are often far greater than they’re worth.