Blount County commissioners ask Tennessee lawmakers to review child-protection laws after allegations involving former teacher Joseph Dalton

Blount County commissioners on May 8 unanimously advanced two resolutions asking the Tennessee General Assembly to review state laws on child protection and formally expressing “extreme concern” about how local institutions handled allegations against former teacher Joseph Dalton.

The resolutions — identified in the clerk’s reading as Resolution 255014 (requesting a statutory review by the Tennessee General Assembly) and Resolution 255015 (expressing concern with local institutions) — were moved to the full commission after managers and commissioners debated amendments and next steps.

The board’s request to the General Assembly includes several concrete changes described during debate: making offensive physical contact with a child a separate, more serious offense; adding the offense to the list of crimes ineligible for diversion; automatic revocation of a teaching license on conviction or guilty plea; standardized statewide…