School Safety Law Blog – Page 83 – News and Information for School Safety

Safety Law News for August 31, 2017

by Bernie James • August 31, 2017

In Texas, Senate Bill 179 will go into effect on September 1, 2017. The law requires school districts to include cyberbullying in their policies and notify a child’s parents if he or she is a victim or aggressor of bullying. Schools can punish cyberbullying wherever it occurs if it materially affects the school environment. And school must collaborate with law enforcement when serious or life-threatening cyberbullying situations arise.

In Ohio, the principal at Dempsey Middle School says the school resource officers are an invaluable asset. The officers teach classes and talk with students about a variety of issues, including health, legal issues, driving, self-defense, and safety.

In Indiana, state law authorizes school districts to create their own in-house police department. Concord Community Schools created its own police department. Administrators say students and staff already benefit from educational opportunities and increased safety measures from having two dedicated officers on duty.

In Illinois, the school board in Community Unit School District 300 voted to renew and expand its school resource officer program with the Algonquin, Carpentersville, Hampshire, and West Dundee police departments.

Safety Law News for August 23, 2017

by Bernie James • August 23, 2017

In Tennessee, state prosecutors say the failure of principals, counselors and teachers to report suspected abuse to proper authorities has become an epidemic. State law mandates any adult with a suspicion or direct knowledge of child abuse must report it immediately to either child services or the police. Not doing so is a misdemeanor and could mean jail time.

The Ohio Court of Appeals ruled that a school could discipline a student for his off-campus speech. The student participated in a message group that posed a threat to the school. The school’s emergency removal, suspension, and expulsion did not violate the student’s Due Process or First Amendment rights. [N.Z. v. Madison Board of Education]

The United States District Court ruled that school officials did not discriminate against a student, neither by race nor religion, by imposing a three-day suspension after he brought to school a homemade contraption containing wires and batteries that made a beeping sound. [Mohamed for A.M. v. Irving Independent School District]

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the policy that requires school officials to search unattended book bags is valid. A bus driver found a book bag, gave it to an SRO, who gave it to the school principal. Upon emptying the bag, bullets were discovered. A subsequent search of the student turned up a handgun. [State v. Polk]

Safety Law News for August 18, 2017

by Bernie James • August 18, 2017

In South Carolina, the school board for Horry County Schools replaced their school resource officer program after a budget struggle with the County Police Department. Armed security officers hired by U.S. Security Associates will replace the school resource officers.

In Colorado, juvenile justice agencies are preparing for the new sexting law that becomes effective January 1, 2018. The state law breaks sexting behavior into categories to weed out the less serious cases. The school resource officer can tell prosecutors which level of offense she believes a teen may have committed. That’s far more collaboration than police and prosecutors had before.

In Minnesota, the St. Paul school board, in a long standing debate over school safety policy, voted to reduce the number of school resource officers in its schools from nine to seven.

In Missouri, teachers in Christian County are being training in a new way of handling active-shooter situations in schools — the “run, hide, fight” technique.

In Minnesota, the Brainerd School Board is expanding its anti-bullying policy to cover school-sponsored student publications and productions. The new policy requires multiple oversight and reviews before publication and distribution.

Safety Law News for August 15, 2017

by Bernie James • August 15, 2017

In Texas, officials in Gregg County ponder responses to data on the increase of methamphetamine use and addiction. School resource officers used as educators and mentors are the primary tool being considered to help deter students from the use of drugs.

In Kentucky, the Kenton County Sheriff has pulled the school resource officers from Covington schools. The decision came in response to an agreement the school district reached with the Department of Justice on the school’s restraint policies. The agreement creates a new set of rules on the role of school resource officers.

In Florida, officials in Pinellas County are implementing new rules on student misconduct after parents complained about the lack of discipline.

In Maryland, state officials have enacted HB 1082. The Start Talking Maryland Act, requires public schools to stock naloxone, and have staff trained to use the overdose-reversal drug. It also mandates drug education include the dangers of powerful opioids.

Safety Law News for August 9, 2017

by Bernie James • August 9, 2017

In California, Salinas City Council member Tony Villegas speaks to the necessity of the local school resource officer program. “In my opinion, I believe a lot of [opponents] have been fed misinformation or don’t understand exactly what the city is trying to accomplish.” The Salinas Union School Board unanimously voted against a school resource officer program with the Salinas Police Department.

In Minnesota, the Minneapolis School Board agreed to continue the school resource officer program in its schools. All board members except one voted for a new contract for school resource officers. The Superintendent said, “I continue to feel like we are heading the right direction for our students and staff.”

In South Carolina, the school resource officers in Spartanburg are learning more about autism spectrum disorders, how to best communicate with students with autism and what tone and instructions work best for those students.

In Louisiana, teachers and administrators in Bastrop are asking whether the current policy strong enough for teachers to feel protected.

Safety Law News for August 4, 2017

by Bernie James • August 4, 2017

In a national study on safe schools, each state was ranked based on numerous factors. The states with the lowest percentage of injured and threatened students were Massachusetts, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma. The jurisdictions with the lowest incidence of bullied students were the District of Columbia, Florida, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Delaware.

In New York, officials in New York City report that campus arrests fell 8 percent in the last school year and summonses dropped by 11 percent. However, the number of weapons found at schools increased, from 1,073 in the 2015-16 school year to 1,429. One parent group claims city officials low-balled serious misconduct, missing nearly 10,000 more school incidents.

In New York, the Jamestown City Council approved the additional school resource officer to have a total of three. The school district will be providing the funding for all three school resource officers.

In Louisiana, teachers and administrators in Bastrop are asking whether the current policy strong enough for teachers to feel protected.

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