School Safety Law Blog – Page 129 – News and Information for School Safety

Safety Law News for 12/12/12

by Bernie James • December 12, 2012

Colorado city changes its mind and reinstitutes SRO programs to improve school safety.

Swift action taken by a Maryland high school student, a teacher and School Resource Officer prevent two adults from committing robbery on campus.

CASAColumbia’s 2012 teen survey reveals that 86 percent of American high school students say that some classmates are drugging, drinking and smoking during the school day and almost half know a student who sells drugs at their school. The survey also reveals that 52 percent of high school students say that there is a place on or near school grounds where students go to get high during the school day. Thirty-six percent say it is easy for students to use drugs, drink or smoke during the school day without getting caught.

by Bernie James • December 10, 2012

Texas school district parents want school resource officers to stay, but school board does not.

Georgia school resource officer run over by car while stopping campus disruption.

Texas school administrator finds gun in student purse but leaves it in the purse because she was not comfortable handling it. SRO is called to intervene.

by Bernie James • December 3, 2012

California School Resource Officers used the element of surprise to apprehend a High School student who brought a gun to school.

Florida school district called out after two student deaths: “be more rigorous about monitoring and updating oversight practices for special-needs children.”

by Bernie James • November 27, 2012

California educators are implementing random, mandatory drug tests for about 15 percent of student athletes in their school district, after suspending “an unexpectedly high number” of student athletes for drug and alcohol use.

An app for SROs: students and parents can discretely contact the SROs in Maryland. There are numerous commercial apps for purchase, according to Kevin Quinn, president of the National Association of School Resource Officers, but Maryland police spent about $600 creating their own.

Anti-drug officials in Illinois are turning to students for help. The county developed a nationwide model for combating drugs, but is still seeing deadly student overdoses. “We need help. We need partners. Young people are not going to listen to an old guy in a suit standing up here talking,” a state attorney said.

by Bernie James • November 15, 2012

A Memphis high school newspaper describes a gang awareness assembly that resonated with students, despite their initial apathy toward the speaker.

A high school principal in Massachusetts, who is often asked how parents should be involved in their children’s lives, writes about effective parental involvement.

Under state law, Ohio’s Department of Education currently tracks almost 1.9 million students without names, addresses, or Social Security numbers. Some policymakers are urging a legal change that would grant the state access to this juvenile information.

Maryland educators are questioning the effectiveness of an alcohol policy, which allows schools to discipline student athletes for off-campus drinking.

by Bernie James • November 12, 2012

Relationships with students are the priority: an open letter from the superintendent of Stillwater Public Schools in Oklahoma, where an eighth grade student died from a self-inflicted gun wound at school on September 26.

Many Texas teachers are cutting back on mentoring and reducing after school communications with students, as an increasing number of teachers is investigated for inappropriate conduct with students.

A New Hampshire student is appealing her school’s dress code ban on sleeveless attire—and, while the dress code appears to enjoy wide support, the superintendent was so impressed with the student’s presentation that he asked the school board to reconsider its policy.