Author: Bernie James

Safety Law News for January 8th, 2021

— In California, the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit ruled that a special needs student did not have to exhaust administrative remedies before filing a civil lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The parents alleged that…

Safety Law News for January 4th, 2021

— In Ohio, the United States Court of Appeals held that school officials were not entitled to governmental immunity from liability arising out of the death of an eight-year-old student, who took his own life after severe bullying at the…

Safety Law News for December 17, 2020

— In New Mexico, the Court of Appeals of New Mexico held that the statements of a student to an assistant principal about possessing a knife on school property were presumptively inadmissible in a delinquency proceeding.  The statute, NMSA 1978,…

Safety Law News for November 4, 2020

— In Virginia, the Alexandria School Board approved a revised memorandum of understanding with the Alexandria Police Department to keep school resource officers in Alexandria schools.  The vice chair of the school board made this statement, “I’m really baffled by…

Safety Law News for October 30, 2020

— In Illinois, the Elgin City Council approved a resolution to continue funding the Elgin Area School District U-46 school resource officer program. The $1.1 million agreement, the cost of which is split by the school district and the city,…

Safety Law News for October 27, 2020

— In Kentucky, the Kentucky Nurses Association School Nurse Task Force believes each school should have one nurse for every 750 students “every day, all day.”  It is making its case to the legislature, asking for a $3 million pilot…

Safety Law News for October 23, 2020

— In Georgia, the Court of Appeals of Georgia reversed the adjudication of a student for simple assault.  The student was defying the authority of an administrator and said to the school resource officer, “F__, no. I ain’t going nowhere…

Safety Law News for October 20, 2020

— In Idaho, teachers in the West Ada School District canceled classes for all students after over 650 teachers planned a sick-out and the district could not find enough substitute teachers to cover.  Teachers’ concerns focused on the safety protocols…

Safety Law News for October 16, 2020

— In Washington D.C., the Department of Justice announced it has awarded more than $87 million to bolster school security, support first responders who arrive on the scene of a school incident, and conduct research on school safety.  The STOP…

Safety Law News for October 13th, 2020

— In West Virginia, the Brooke County Board of Education is going its own way with school safety.  It is moving forward with hiring school resource officers, without an agreement with the Brooke County Commission.  The SROs would be considered…