School Safety Law Blog – Page 77 – News and Information for School Safety

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Safety Law News for December 13, 2017

by Bernie James • December 13, 2017

In California, the Vallejo school board agreed to a contract with the City of Vallejo to extend and expand the school resource officer program. The educators stated that the district has been happy with the performance of the SROs. However, the agreement does not settle a disagreement over authority school officials will have over the SRO.

In Washington State, school officials in the Spokane Public Schools are looking closely at a new report that 1,191 cases of suspension or expulsion occurred in the first 60 school days of the school year. State law required the implementation of restorative discipline policies. Some teachers and parents believe the focus on reducing discipline has created unsafe working and learning environments.

In Kentucky, House Bill 145 is being introduced that will require that all students in elementary, middle and high school to be taught about “drug abuse prevention, with an emphasis on the prescription drug epidemic and the connection between prescription opioid abuse and addiction to other drugs, such as heroin and synthetic drugs.”

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Safety Law News for December 6, 2017

by Bernie James • December 6, 2017

In Pennsylvania, the governor announced the award of $5 million in Safe Schools Initiative Targeted Grants to nearly 140 schools, police departments, and municipalities across the state. The $5 million is mostly split between two pots, one directed at equipment and programs and another that helps cover the cost of putting police officers in schools.

In Michigan, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 5126. The bill would amend the Education Code to exempt law enforcement officers from school rules on the restraint and seclusion of students. Previously, in March 2017, HB 5417 was passed into law. It limits, without exceptions, restraint and seclusion, allowing it only under emergency situations.

In Kentucky, school officials in the Jefferson County believe their schools are experiencing the effects of violent crime in the community. They are exploring district-wide training in preventing escalation of disruptions on campus. The discussion is a response to an increase in assaults and fights in schools.

In Colorado, San Luis Valley officials are urging the county government to place a moratorium on all marijuana sales and production. This comes after a report shows that marijuana legalization in Colorado is placing youth as well as the general public at risk. Sixty-one percent of Colorado counties have prohibited marijuana legalization in Colorado.

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Safety Law News for November 27, 2017

by Bernie James • November 27, 2017

In North Carolina, students in middle school and high school across the North Carolina Piedmont region are addicted to powerful drugs. School resource officers say that they see students getting high in class with their teacher in the room.

In Tennessee, the Grundy County Sheriff and the County Director of Schools are in conflict over law enforcement access to the security cameras on campus. School officials appear to be in confusion about the application of FERPA to law enforcement on campus. The U.S. Department of Education has repeatedly stated that, “[i]mages of students captured on security videotapes that are maintained by the school’s law enforcement unit are not considered education records under FERPA.”

In Texas, the Athens Independent School District has terminated its own school police department. School officials approached the city with the idea of the Athens Police Department implementing a school resource officer program. “The district said they want to get out of the law-enforcement business so that they could focus on the education business.”

In Oregon, the Hillsboro School District is using a new state law to launch its own school police department. According to school officials, forming its own police agency will save the district about $150,000 a year in expenses.

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Safety Law News for November 21, 2017

by Bernie James • November 21, 2017

In Oregon, the Court of Appeals held that the “school safety exception” to the Oregon Constitution did not permit a police officer to search a non-student, who happened to be at school during a shooting that threatened school children and staff. The defendant had heard that a shooting had occurred at the high school where his younger sister was a student. He rushed to the school while in possession of a handgun. [State v. Powell]

In Indiana, the Court of Appeals held that two students who resisted attempts by school resource officers to search them could be prosecuted for acts constituting new offenses within the new-crime exception to the exclusionary rule. The officers were conducting pat-down searches of students who were in a classroom where a cell phone was reported stolen. Both juveniles assaulted the officers to prevent the searches. [K.C. v. State]

In Massachusetts, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that it was unreasonable for a police officer to search the bag of a non-student trespasser who attempted to enter the school. The court ruled that while the officer could have arrested the trespasser, which would have allowed a search incident-to-arrest, the police lacked a reasonable belief that the defendant was armed and dangerous and, therefore, a patfrisk and search of the backpack was unreasonable. [Commonwealth v. Villigran]

In Colorado, the United States District Court dismissed a civil lawsuit holding that a student’s rights were not violated when school officials expelled him and police arrested him for making threats against the school. The student was acquitted of the charge of violating C.R.S. § 18-9-109(6), that makes it a crime to; “knowingly make or convey to another person a credible threat to … a student, school official, or employee of an educational institution.” The court held that even if a violation did occur, the officials would not be liable based on qualified immunity. [Wilk v. St. Vrain Valley School District].

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Safety Law News for November 13, 2017

by Bernie James • November 13, 2017

In Florida, Miami-Dade schools are implementing a new campus safety program. “Enhancing School Safety Officer Effectiveness through Online Professional and Job Embedded Coaching,” is an anti-violence program, funded by a $1 million federal grant from the National Institute of Justice. School resource officers will be trained on social-emotional learning, trauma-informed care, cultural competence and restorative problem solving.

In North Carolina, the Harnett County school board unanimously voted to allow school resource officers to store their long guns on campus. Each middle school and high school in the jurisdiction will install a gun safe with fingerprint access only for the SROs.

In California, the West Contra Costa Unified School District is planning to modify its school safety program. Officials will eliminate suspensions or expulsions solely on the basis of “disruption/willful defiance,” train educators in de-escalating conflict, reduce the number of school resource officers in schools, and revise the role of the remaining officers so that student discipline will be handled solely by school personnel, not law enforcement.

In Oregon, the Florence City Council is evaluating the effectiveness of its school resource officer program after its first year.

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Safety Law News for November 10, 2017

by Bernie James • November 10, 2017

In North Dakota school resource officers from Fargo schools talk about what they see happening at school and what they do about it.

In Michigan, the Senate approved legislation that will allow people with additional training to carry concealed weapons in schools. Some are calling it the “pistols in preschools” legislation.

In Connecticut, the Board of Education in Monroe approved a new policy in the school resource officer (SRO) memo of understanding to require officers to wear body cameras on school property.

In c school officials, the police, and the community in Louisville are debating the school resource officer program in the schools. Kentucky Department of Education data shows that the number of weapons found in the schools has increased while the number of assaults and arrests have nearly doubled. Some say the police are the problem.