36 Metro Schools Students Died Last Year: District

NASHVILLE, TN -- Thirty-six Metro Nashville Public Schools students died in the 2016-17, the most in at least a decade, the district's executive officer of student services told WKRN.

Tony Majors told the station he attributes the increase to a broader spike in teen violence in addition to an increase in dangerous behaviors. The school district's student population has also increased, though not dramatically so, having grown by about 5 percent since 2012.

“I don’t want to believe that we are at the point where a child has conflict and immediately chooses to access a gun, but if that’s the case, then the question would be how are we addressing the accessibility of illegal weapons in our community as well. That’s not a schools systems conversation, but it is a conversation that the school system should definitely be involved in because we are seeing some of the impacts,” Majors told WKRN.

When a student dies, MNPS implements the student death protocol, which involves counselors, social workers and psychologists who work with administrators to develop a plan to help faculty and students.

So far in the 2017-18 school year, 16 MNPS have died, a slightly slower pace than 2016-17.

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