School Safety Law Blog – Page 85 – News and Information for School Safety

Safety Law News for February 9, 2017

by Jared Padgett • February 9, 2017

In Rhode Island, the House of Representatives has approved legislation on safety assessments for public school buildings. The proposed policy, HB 5016 sets firm time guidelines for school departments to complete their assessments in conjunction with local police, fire, and school safety teams.

In South Carolina, the Aiken County Public Schools Superintendent responded to teachers’ concerns about discipline issues during a town-hall meeting at South Aiken High. The question that brought about the meeting: “What is your plan to back teachers when it comes to discipline and the lack of respect that the students show the teachers?”

In Colorado, the Douglas County Board of Education has voted to support a proposed policy that would allow people, including teachers, with a concealed carry permit to carry a handgun on campuses.

In Oregon, the State Police have launched the “Safe-Oregon-Tip-Line.” The program allows students, staff or other members of the public to anonymously report and share confidential information of a threat or a potential threat to student safety.

Safety Law News for February 6, 2017

by Bernie James • February 6, 2017

In Minnesota, arresting students is a last resort in the St. Paul Public Schools. Students caught fighting or carrying small amounts of alcohol or marijuana are being sent home to their parents instead of the juvenile detention center.

In Wisconsin, the Madison School Board nominated nine community members to serve on an ad-hoc committee to evaluate the School Resource Officer program.

In Tennessee, the Cheatham County Commission voted to double the number of officers in its School Resource Officers Program in the county’s 13 schools from three to six.

In Oklahoma, the Tulsa Police Department and Tulsa Public Schools are implementing a program, called “Project Trust,” with the goal of improving young people’s perceptions of police.

Safety Law News for January 24, 2017

by Bernie James • January 24, 2017

In North Carolina, The North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions survey is an anonymous statewide survey to assess conditions at schools. Its 2016 results show that 86% of teachers surveyed reported that their schools were a good place to work. 92.5% of the teachers reported that their school environment was safe. Nevertheless, nearly 30% of principals reported spending between 5-10 hours per week on student discipline issues.

In Colorado, the legislature has introduced Senate Bill 5 which will authorize school districts to designate school personnel to carry firearms if they are properly trained.

In California, the Superintendent for the Antioch Unified School District sent a letter to parents and the community regarding recent reports of racial slurs, taunting, and intimidation of students.

In Indiana, the Porter County Sheriff’s Office has posted an educational video on YouTube–“One County One Protocol,” for the purpose of introducing the vocabulary and the countermeasures of a unified response by students, faculty, staff, and police during a school crisis.

Safety Law News for January 18, 2017

by Bernie James • January 18, 2017

In Rhode Island, the Pawtucket School and Police Departments have signed a new school safety interagency agreement. Under the agreement, the principal will remain the primary administrator and disciplinarian and will not rely on the school resource officer for enforcement of minor disciplinary infractions.

In New York, state leaders are encouraging educators to develop district-wide overdose prevention policies. The New York Department of Health has an overdose prevention training program that allows school personnel to administer the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone. But just 55 school districts out of more than 700 statewide have signed up.

In New York, school officials in the Westchester and Putnam are schools are implementing an Anti-Bullying/Safety Reporting App. The program allows students to let an adult know when they are being bullied or harassed online.

In Washington State, policymakers in the Yakima Valley have launched the School Safety Operations & Coordination Center. Sixteen school districts are linked to the Center. Center staff have the capacity to remotely access and control school security cameras at certain buildings, lock and unlock doors and even control water and gas utility lines.

Safety Law News for January 9, 2017

by Bernie James • January 9, 2017

In Tennessee, the Court of Appeals held that educators were not liable for the injuries of a 13–year-old special education student who was assaulted by another 13–year-old special education student in a school bathroom. The court reasoned that liability follows foreseeability, but that under the Tennessee rule there can be no foreseeability “absent proof of prior misconduct.” [K.G.R. v. Union City School District].

In Missouri, two Missouri statutes that went into effect Jan. 1 on fighting and bullying. Schools must report these incidents to law enforcement and serious fighting has been upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony.

In Missouri, a review of Springfield Public Schools’ annual safety report shows there were 228 assaults logged during the 2015-16 year, the highest number in at least five years. The biggest increase was at elementary and middle schools.

In Wyoming, the “Safe2Tell Wyoming” tip-line has received more than 100 tips since it was launched a few weeks ago, exceeding officials’ expectations. The majority of the reports received were to report suicide threats.

Safety Law News for December 20, 2016

by Bernie James • December 20, 2016

In Michigan, the Michigan Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling allowing Ann Arbor Public Schools to enact a district-wide gun ban. The “weapons-free school zone” policy is in conflict with state open carry gun laws. [Michigan Gun Owners v. Ann Arbor Public Schools]

In Colorado, the Municipal Court in Longmont was given funding to expand restorative justice programs into the schools. School resource officers will send cases to a prosecutor, who will determine if the case is eligible for the mediation process rather than traditional adjudication.

In South Carolina, officials in Florence School District One say school administrators and school resource officers work together to determine how to respond to threats against the schools.

In Colorado, the school board in Hanover School District 28, by a 3-2 vote, approved a policy that allows faculty and staff members to carry guns on campus. The school district is remote; law enforcement officers can be 45 minutes away in an emergency.

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