Good journalism leads to good outcomes. Tennessee lawmakers voted to change a controversial law so school officials will now only have to report threats they deem “credible.” It comes after an investigation by ProPublica and WPLN that showed children were wrongly ensnared by the legislation.

I love this impact! 🥰 Tennessee Lawmakers Change School Threats Law After Kids Arrested for Jokes. Kudos @paigepfleger.bsky.social @aliyyaswaby.bsky.social w/ @wpln.bsky.social

Tennessee lawmakers passed a fix to the state’s school threats law after reporting by ProPublica and WPLN showed kids as young as 6 were arrested for jokes and misunderstandings. Many of those charged had disabilities and were students of color. wpln.org/post/tenness...

NEW: Tennessee lawmakers voted to change a controversial law so school officials will now only have to report threats they deem “credible.” It comes after a ProPublica, @wpln.bsky.social investigation that showed children were wrongly ensnared by the legislation.

@paigepfleger.bsky.social at @wpln.bsky.social and I spent months investigating the unintended consequences of this felony threats law. You can read the stories of how kids were affected here: www.propublica.org/series/crack...

Tennessee finally adjusted its school threats law, which had led children as young as 6 to be charged with felonies for jokes and rumors. Once signed by the governor, the bill will require school officials to only report "credible" threats to police. www.propublica.org/article/tenn...

We’re on strike today! Support our fight for a fair contract by NOT visiting the @propublica.org website or engaging with ProPublica stories today. Tell ProPublica’s management you won’t cross the picket line: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

Really delighted to share that somehow @propublica.org is not sick of me yet! I was selected for another year-long fellowship through the Local Reporting Network that will allow me and the wonderful @aliyyaswaby.bsky.social to report on juvenile facilities in Tennessee.

Foster care children in Tennessee could be placed in the most secure facilities — with barbed wire and cells that lock — under a newly proposed bill that is alarming advocates. My latest:

Always, always, always read @pamelacolloff.bsky.social:

"Our governor, with DCS, have decided the solution to kids being placed in offices is to put them in prison. This is how the children in foster care are being treated — like criminals."

This story is a must-read and so incredibly shocking. Masked, unidentifiable federal agents are using life-threatening force on random people who are being targeted because of how they look. And there is virtually no way to hold them accountable.

Judges across Tennessee are now demanding greater accountability from people who have been ordered to give up their guns, a shift aimed at strengthening protections for domestic violence victims. From @paigepfleger.bsky.social with @wpln.bsky.social and @propublica.org.

"Analysis found that about 1 in 4 victims of domestic violence gun homicides were killed by someone who was barred from having a firearm." "Nine counties...have amended the state’s gun dispossession affidavit to require information about who will be taking possession of the weapon." #Pinks

NEW: Judges across Tennessee are now demanding greater accountability from people who have been ordered to give up their guns, a shift aimed at strengthening protections for domestic violence victims. With @wpln.bsky.social

Nine Tennessee counties have adopted a measure requiring more transparency when an abuser is forced to give up their weapon. Others are also considering the change, advocates say. wpln.org/post/a-count...

A rare good news story from me: Judges in some Tennessee counties are now demanding greater transparency from people who have been court-ordered to give up their guns, following reporting from @wpln.bsky.social and @propublica.org

A very generous donor — Tom from Seattle — is matching all gifts made to his GoFundMe benefiting ProPublica, up to $15K. Make your gift and double your impact:

Despite years of advocacy, a state council on domestic violence has failed to pass a reform that could protect victims. My latest:

Republicans have narrowly kept control of Tennessee’s 7th congressional seat. The latest on this tight race that turned into an unexpected battleground: wpln.org/post/republi... @mariannabac.bsky.social @wpln.bsky.social

It appears the vibes could not be more different between the Behn and Van Epps election night parties:

I’m at the Aftyn Behn election night party, and @mariannabac.bsky.social is with the Matt Van Epps campaign. We’re waiting on polls to close and results to start rolling in. Stay tuned to @wpln.bsky.social for your special election news.

A superbly reported story here. But also sharing because it was written by a former NPR digital news intern I worked with a decade ago. I'm always so proud to see the careers of those star interns flourish. Well done, @paigepfleger.bsky.social!

ICYMI: She Begged for Help. This State’s Probation Gap May Have Put Her in Danger. @paigepfleger.bsky.social @wpln.bsky.social @mariamelba.bsky.social

NEW: Tennessee has one of the highest rates of gun-related homicide. A blind spot in the state's probation department appears at a time when experts say offenders are a danger to domestic violence victims, @wpln.bsky.social and @propublica.org found.

Roughly 1 in 4 domestic violence homicide victims in Tennessee’s five biggest cities were allegedly shot by someone who was legally barred from having a gun. @paigepfleger.bsky.social @wpln.bsky.social @mariamelba.bsky.social

NEW: Tennessee has one of the highest rates of gun-related homicide. A blind spot in the state's probation department appears at a time when experts say offenders are a danger to domestic violence victims, @wpln.bsky.social and @propublica.org found.

Temptress Peebles called Nashville’s probation office for help. Her ex was on probation and had an arrest warrant. But until police served that warrant, probation stopped in-person oversight. 10 days after that call, she was dead. 🧵 1/7

Shocking story. How a Gap in Tennessee’s Probation System Leaves Domestic Violence Victims in Danger, by @paigepfleger.bsky.social @wpln.bsky.social @mariamelba.bsky.social

Join us next month in Philadelphia to learn about: The Public Health Approach to Gun Violence Prevention • Preventing Further Harm to People Harmed by Gun Violence • Trauma-Informed Reporting • Solutions Journalism • Peace Journalism • Putting Ideas in Practice www.pcgvr.org

When you register to attend the Gun Violence Prevention Reporting National Certification conference next month in Philadelphia, you will also be invited to claim a free one year (professional or associate) membership in the Association of Gun Violence Reporters. PCGVR.org

Reporters who witnessed the execution said that Byron Black, who had a heart implant, seemed to be in distress during the execution and said “it’s hurting so bad.” They said Black was breathing and moaning more than previous executions. wpln.org/post/tenness... @catherinejsweeney.bsky.social

In rural Tennessee, 16 middle schoolers waiting for cheerleading practice to start made a TikTok video seeming to role play a school shooting. The sheriff's office charged every single one with a crime. www.propublica.org/article/soci...

Byron Black is asking Tennessee's governor to commute his death sentence based on his intellectual disability. In 2021 death row inmates gained the right to petition the court for a determination on their disability, but Black's lawyers say he was since denied that chance wpln.org/post/timelin...

JUST IN: The Supreme Court upholds Tennessee law that bars gender-affirming care for minors.

That superintendent, Richard L. Bean, recently announced he'll be stepping down from the facility that bears his name. @paigepfleger.bsky.social and @mariamelba.bsky.social looked into how Bean was able to hold on to his position for decades:

John Oliver wasn't done with ProPublica & @wpln.bsky.social. Later in the episode he talked about @paigepfleger.bsky.social's 2023 profile of a TN youth center superintendent who illegally locked kids alone in their cells. www.propublica.org/article/knox...

You’ll see a familiar byline on the next episode of @lastweektonight.com ❣️

“He’s just been allowed to go unchecked,” said state Rep. Sam McKenzie of Knoxville. “It was just a bad situation compounded by a rubber-stamp board that really was trying to protect him, and not protect our children.” www.propublica.org/article/rich... @wpln.bsky.social @propublica.org

How the head of an embattled Tennessee youth detention center held on to power for decades despite multiple investigations, the use of seclusion wpln.org/post/how-the... @paigepfleger.bsky.social @wpln.bsky.social

"His former secretary, his personal lawyer, the judge for whom he served as a campaign treasurer and a pallbearer of his wife’s casket all sat on the board over time as voting members." A maddening story by @paigepfleger.bsky.social & @mariamelba.bsky.social

Many of the board members were his friends — his former secretary, his personal lawyer, a pallbearer for his wife’s casket. Others didn’t know they were listed as board members until we called them for this story. My latest with @mariamelba.bsky.social: www.propublica.org/article/rich...

Richard L. Bean remained in his perch as the superintendent of the juvenile detention center that bears his name despite scandals, investigations and the use of seclusion to punish children. @paigepfleger.bsky.social @mariamelba.bsky.social w/ @wpln.bsky.social

#ICYMI: A 2023 investigation by WPLN News and ProPublica found that Bean was illegally locking kids up alone in cells. A new scandal has forced his resignation.

NEW: Only three board members had the power to remove Richard L. Bean as superintendent of the Tennessee juvenile detention center that bears his name. And for decades, those positions have been held down by his closest friends and allies. With @wpln.bsky.social

Only one county juvenile detention center in Tennessee is governed by a board of trustees. Through scandals and state write-ups, it kept one man in power for decades. wpln.org/post/how-the...

NEW: How the Head of an Embattled Tennessee Youth Detention Center Held on to Power for Decades @paigepfleger.bsky.social @mariamelba.bsky.social w/ @wpln.bsky.social

Only three board members had the power to remove Richard L. Bean as superintendent of the Tennessee juvenile detention center that bears his name. And for decades, those positions have been held down by his closest friends and allies. www.propublica.org/article/rich... @mariamelba.bsky.social

@paigepfleger.bsky.social has been on this from the downbeat- honest investigative journalism doing its job!🙌

A 2023 investigation from @wpln.bsky.social‬ and ProPublica found the Richard L. Bean detention center was using solitary confinement more than other detention centers in the state. Sometimes the children were locked up alone for hours or days at a time. By @paigepfleger.bsky.social‬