<ul>
<li><a href=”http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/313989/nyc-elected-officials-community-leaders-and-students-hold-school-safety-rally.html” target=”_blank”>In Brooklyn, New York</a>, Councilmember David Greenfield and 20 of his council colleagues support a bill that would require the New York Police Department to <a href=”http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2015/5/29/council-demands-nypd-safety-agents-non-public-schools” target=”_blank”>put a school safety officer in any school that requests one</a>, even <a href=”http://jpupdates.com/2015/05/27/at-city-hall-school-kids-councilmembers-rally-for-passage-of-greenfields-security-bill/”>private and religious</a> schools.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a <a href=”http://www.dnj.com/story/news/education/2015/05/25/browns-chapel-students-pen-school-safety-book/27912301/” target=”_blank”>school safety book written by fifth-graders</a> will be published in hardback for use in the school district. The book, <a href=”http://www.rcschools.net/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=17584&linkid=nav-menu-original-4-2016″ target=”_blank”>“Stop! Look! Listen! How Do Elephants Stay Safe at School</a>,” will help students learn to stop, look and listen in an emergency.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Snohomish County, Washington, the Health District agency is <a href=”http://www.snohd.org/Records-Reports/Data-Reports” target=”_blank”>releasing a survey on student attitudes</a> on school safety. Most Snohomish County students feel safe in school, though <a href=”http://myedmondsnews.com/2015/05/survey-most-snohomish-county-students-feel-safe-in-school-though-bullying-still-an-issue/” target=”_blank”>bullying still an issue</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Oklahoma, the legislature passed and sent to the Governor a law that is designed to <a href=”http://newsok.com/oklahoma-lawmakers-pass-student-safety-bill/article/5421693″ target=”_blank”>protect students from abusive teachers</a> who escape detection by switching schools when they get in trouble. <a href=”http://openstates.org/ok/bills/2015-2016/SB711/” target=”_blank”>Senate Bill 711</a> requires a school district to notify the state Board of Education when it decides to fire or retire a teacher for transgressions that could form the basis of a criminal charge.</li>
</ul>
Safety Law News for May 22, 2015
- In 2013-14, 70 percent of schools surveyed by the U.S. Department of Education reported drilling students on a written plan for school shootings. More schools reported training students for active shooter situations and using security cameras, electronic notification systems, and anonymous reporting tools.
- In a rebuke to restorative justice policies, Madison, Wisconsin school officials are revising the district’s new student discipline policy after a survey indicated most teachers believe student behavior has not improved and learning in the classroom has been affected. One Madison middle school teacher says discipline policy problems forced her to resign.
- In Florida, Miami-Dade school officials decline to provide records on school safety procedures after student survey suggests that safety policies are not enforced.
- In Oklahoma, the governor has signed a new law that gives school boards the right to designate teachers and school staff to carry handguns on school premises, as long as they’ve undergone armed security guard or reserve peace officer training.
Safety Law News for May 22, 2015
- In 2013-14, 70 percent of schools surveyed by the U.S. Department of Education reported drilling students on a written plan for school shootings. More schools reported training students for active shooter situations and using security cameras, electronic notification systems, and anonymous reporting tools.
- In a rebuke to restorative justice policies, Madison, Wisconsin school officials are revising the district’s new student discipline policy after a survey indicated most teachers believe student behavior has not improved and learning in the classroom has been affected. One Madison middle school teacher says discipline policy problems forced her to resign.
- In Florida, Miami-Dade school officials decline to provide records on school safety procedures after student survey suggests that safety policies are not enforced.
- In Oklahoma, the governor has signed a new law that gives school boards the right to designate teachers and school staff to carry handguns on school premises, as long as they’ve undergone armed security guard or reserve peace officer training.
Safety Law News for May 14, 2015
- In Arkansas, the Governor has sign into law HB 1583, legislation that extends the jurisdiction of a school resource officer. Now the SRO will have statewide jurisdiction when accompanying students on a school sanctioned event that takes place outside the county in which the school is located.
- In Idaho, HB 246 has passed that is designed to curb bullying and cyberbullying in Idaho schools. Data showed that one in 10 students have either switched schools or dropped out due to bullying. Under the law, schools are required to train teachers to deal with bullying and require them to intervene when they see it happen. School districts will have to make a yearly report on bullying incidents.
- In Massachusetts, the Plymouth School Board formally paid tribute to police and firefighters in ensuring safety with plaques recognizing the professional and collegial relationship fostered between the departments in recent years.
- In North Carolina, the Center for Safer Schools released its 2015 North Carolina School Resource Officer Report. The Report compiles data on the growth of the school resource officer program in the state and contains a survey of the responses of SROs on the scope of their work in maintaining safe campuses.
Safety Law News for May 5, 2015
- In Texas, the McAllen Independent School District has implemented a new cloud-based online program to provide an all-around view of security. The software maintains school safety data, emergency plans, contact information, and compiles potential threats. McAllen’s school police department will have access to the information.
- A report released by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics found that 6 percent of female teachers and 4 percent of male teachers surveyed said they had been physically attacked by a student during the 2011-2012 school year. This is the highest rate of teacher victimization ever reported.
- In Texas, DeKalb School officials are praising the use of social networking as the reason for averting a crisis when a student brought a fully loaded handgun to school. An exchange on Snap Chat led the school’s resource officer to the student.
- In Phoenix Arizona, the Cactus View Elementary School “The Bully Patrol Squad” is celebrating its third successful year in the fight against bullying. The program uses students to raise awareness and patrol the campus.
Safety Law News for April 28, 2015
- In Colorado, the legislature is pushing back at restorative justice policies by introducing legislation (Senate Bill 213) that imposes a duty of reasonable care on educators, eliminating governmental immunity from lawsuits. Victims of campus injuries can sue for negligence and claim damages up to $350,000 a person. The bill is named for Claire Davis, who was killed at Arapahoe High School in 2013. She was shot by a fellow student who then turned the gun on himself.
- “After School App” is a messaging platform for students where they can post anything school or non-school related, within their high school’s closed network. The posts show up on the app anonymously. Every post is reviewed by a human before being seen by the community. If the post indicates concerning behavior, a message will be sent offering help to the student.
- In Texas, legislators passed a law to help root out bullying and cyberbullying in schools. But educators and experts on the law say that social media is magnifying the problem.
- In South Carolina, Chester County’s sheriff is concerned after a decision from the school superintendent to replace school resource officers with private security guards who are not active law enforcement officers.