School Safety Law Blog – Page 109 – News and Information for School Safety

Safety Law News for September 18, 2015

by Bernie James • September 18, 2015

The United States Court of Appeals has ruled that school officials have qualified immunity when accessing a student’s social-networking account upon receiving information that the student sent threatening online messages to another student, where those remarks concerned school activities and where the quarrel began at a school-related function. [Jackson v. Ladner].

The United States District Court in Pennsylvania has ruled that school officials can be liable for preventing a student from obtaining medical treatment. In the case, a sixth grade student suffering from chronic asthma died because school policy prevented her from taking medication without the supervision of a nurse. No nurse was on duty on the day of the fatal asthma attack. [Estate of Massey v. City of Philadelphia].

In Virginia, the Commonwealth has awarded 519 schools School Security Equipment Grants totaling $6 million for video monitoring systems, metal detectors, classroom locks, electronic-access controls, visitor-identification systems and other security upgrades.

In Missouri, the Ritenour and Riverview Gardens school districts are using the new mobile school safety platform CrisisManager. CrisisManager communicates emergency response data to schools, local emergency responders, police departments and fire departments.

Safety Law News for September 15, 2015

by Bernie James • September 15, 2015

In Texas, students and faculty throughout Lake Dallas ISD held a celebration called “SRO Day” where they honored their school resource officers on their campuses.

In North Dakota, the Bismarck City Commissioners approved a budget that includes five M-4 assault rifles for school resource officers.

In Tennessee, all 49 Sumner County schools have implemented “LobbyGuard,” a visitor management automated system that screens each person who comes into a school. Visitors check in at a touch monitor in the front lobby. The system immediately notifies the school’s resource officer and the principal, who receive an email and a text message.

In Michigan, Attorney General Bill Schuette is promoting the hotline and online student safety system called OK2SAY. It allows students to report potential harm or criminal activities aimed at students, teachers, staff or other school employees.

Safety Law News for September 11, 2015

by Bernie James • September 11, 2015

In Colorado, John Michael Keyes has created a school safety plan called Standard Response Protocol. It is a simplified emergency plan instructing students to follow one of four procedures during any situation: Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter. Mr. Keyes is the father of Emily Keyes who was killed by an adult intruder at Platte Canyon High School in 2006.

In Pennsylvania, the Steel Valley schools have implemented the Raptor security system that allows the school to scan the driver’s license or state identification card of a visitor and produce an adhesive badge that visitors wear while in the building.

In Massachusetts, officials in Fall River are rethinking one element of their school safety plan after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court threw out a local ordinance in Lynn that prohibited registered Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of parks and schools.

In Colorado, Senate Bill 213 passed and now school districts can be held liable for incidents of violence in schools. The School Safety and Youth in Crisis Committee has the task of providing regulations for schools.

Safety Law News for September 8, 2015

by Bernie James • September 8, 2015

In Brunswick Ohio, officials are hosting a series of meetings for parents to address issues concerning students’ mental health and campus safety. The meetings feature presentations by mental health specialists, social workers, and school resource officers.

In New Jersey, the New Jersey School Security Task Force Final Report (August 2015) recommends police officers who have been trained to work in a school setting be on school grounds at all times. Some schools already have a school resource officer who is employed by the local police department and who has received that training. For some school districts it can come down to finances.

In Wisconsin, the Fond du Lac School District’s Annual Climate Report for 2013-14 indicates bullying incidents dropped by 17 percent last school year. Middle schools presented the highest number of the reports — 50 percent — a five-percent increase from the last annual study.

In South Carolina, the Richmond County school system experienced more “hard” lockdowns last month than during the last school year. Schools in hard lockdowns do not allow movement inside or outside the building, and teachers are instructed to cover their windows and move students away from breakable surfaces. Classes are not taught during hard lockdowns.

Safety Law News for September 4, 2015

by Bernie James • September 4, 2015

In Connecticut, the Bridgeport Police School Resource Officers now walk students to school as a part of the City of Bridgeport’s Safe Corridors program. The Safe Corridor Program is a community safety effort that provides a safe route to and from school through networks of police and adult volunteers.

In California, the Los Angeles Unified School District police department (LASPD) has completed its first round of crime and safety assessments using the Haystax Mobile App. The app identifies school site crime and safety vulnerabilities and recommends improvements as necessary.

In New Jersey, the Hamilton Township School District has closed all of the public school playgrounds after an inspection report disclosed several hazardous conditions that were very serious in nature at an elementary school.

Safety Law News for September 1, 2015

by Bernie James • September 1, 2015

In Tennessee, Greene County officials are looking to upgrade school security by removing security officers and replacing them with school resource officers in the schools that have the most students. The SRO’s would have to go through regular police training, plus 40 hours of extra EMS instruction.

In Texas, the Frisco Police Department has issued “go bags” to all 25 of its school resource officers assigned to work in the schools. The bags contain medical equipment as well as tactical gear.

In Richland County, Georgia, there were more weapons-related incidents in the elementary schools during the 2014-15 school year than at middle or high schools. The weapons ranged from blunt objects to a 380-caliber handgun. The number of weapons-related incidents at elementary schools has climbed from the 2013-14 school year.

Nevada lawmakers have authorized the state to spend millions of dollars on school safety. Two top priorities include programs to deal with bullying, and upgraded school safety plans at all school statewide.

Page 109 of 153

« 1 … 107 108 109 110 111 … 153 »