Restraining Orders

Location: Tennessee

Hello! I am looking for some advice I cannot afford an attorney, but I’m not sure how to proceed.

Last year, my 12-year-old daughter was threatened by a classmate who said he was going to rape her. I went to the police and the officer that came to our house to take the report said it seemed liked he was flirting with her. Obviously, this upset me. The police asked if I wanted to press charges or have the police go and talk to the boy and his parents. I opted to have the police go and talk to them, because I figured that would scare him enough to leave my daughter alone.

The police went and spoke to the parents. The parents called me and apologized profusely and said that they were going to take care of it.

I asked the school if he could be transferred out of her class last year after it happened, & was told since it didn’t happen on school property, there’s nothing they could do about it. I then went to the board with the correct documentation to try and get her in the homeschool program through the school because she was afraid to go to class with him. It was denied & when I asked what the reason was, I never got a response.

This week, the same boy pulled his pants down right beside my daughter in class. She turned away as soon as his hip started showing. She went and told the vice principal. Afterwards, the boy threatened her and told her she was going to regret telling on him.

At school today, she learned that he was ISS, but she saw him at lunch and got scared.

I have emailed the principal and am awaiting the response. I’m confused as to why this boy was not expelled as it was brought up last year to the administration that he was attempting to pull his pants down during class then & he had already threatened to rape her (I think it’s crazy that even though there’s a police report on it, the school still can’t do anything)

Do restraining orders work for public schools? Is there any sort of legal action I can take against the school if he isn’t removed? My friend advise me that I should sue the officer who called it flirting, but I feel like because I didn’t pursue it at the time, there’s isn’t really anything there that can be done.

Thank you so much!