School Safety Law Blog – Page 86 – News and Information for School Safety

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School Safety News for December 16, 2016

by Bernie James • December 15, 2016

In Michigan, the legislature placed on the desk of the Governor legislation that would require school officials to consider certain factors before expelling or suspending a student under softer “zero-tolerance” laws and to limit the use of restraint and seclusion in schools to emergencies.

In Texas, school officials in Johnson County have partnered with Crime Stoppers to offer increased cash incentives for tips. Call volume has increased 68 percent and cases are being cleared at a high rate.

In New Jersey, a new law gives schools the option to hire retired police officers who will have full police powers on campus.

In Pennsylvania, the Gateway School District has received judicial approval to allow the school district’s new campus police force to carry guns and issue citations on school property.

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Safety Law News for December 12, 2016

by Bernie James • December 12, 2016

In Pennsylvania, the federal district court has ruled that school officials can be liable for violating student rights under Title IX when student-on-student harassment is ignored. The court ruled that educators have a duty to intervene when they possess “actual notice” – enough knowledge of the harassment that they reasonably could have responded with remedial measures. [T.B. v. New Kensington-Arnold School District].

In Louisiana, the state court of appeals ruled that personal injury claims against a school brought by a pregnant teacher who was assaulted by a student, did not fall within the intentional act exclusion from workers’ compensation coverage, and thus the teacher could not sue for damages for injuries and was limited to remedies under the workers’ compensation statute, even though student had an extensive history of disciplinary issues. [Field v. Lafayette Parish School Board]

In New Jersey, the federal district court ruled that educators did not violate a student’s First Amendment rights when it suspended him for his out-of-school postings on social media that contained derogatory and demeaning comments about fellow students and which triggered school’s obligations under New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Act. [Dunkley v. Board of Education of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District].

In Ohio, the Lima City Schools have created a new position called the Director of Safety and Security. The Director will oversee the SROs and handle all of the safety and security procedures in all of the Lima City Schools.

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Safety Law News for December 5, 2016

by Bernie James • December 5, 2016

• In Kentucky, the Children’s Law Center of Kentucky released a report regarding school based restraint and seclusion. It concludes that restraint and seclusion on students in Kentucky schools is often unnecessary and that the use of such techniques should be better documented.

• In Pennsylvania, eight Dauphin County police departments along with several school districts are coming together in an initiative to reform school discipline. The goal is to stop the “school to prison” pipeline in the county.

• In Utah, school officials and police are praising a mother and father who disarmed and detained their son after he fired a shotgun inside of a Utah middle school.

• In Oregon, school officials in Silverton are taking steps to add rigor to their bullying policies after suspending ten students who were involved in a pro-Trump rally in the parking lot of a high school on Nov. 8 after election results were announced.

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Safety Law News for November 30, 2016

by Bernie James • November 30, 2016

In New Jersey, Governor Christie signed into law S2983. The legislation establishes “Class Three” special police officers designated to provide security at both public and private schools.

In Washington D.C., U.S. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. sent a letter urging state policymakers to prohibit corporal punishment in schools.

In Illinois, parents in the city of Streamwood have formed a volunteer school safety team. “Dads in Action” has five members who help out by monitoring the playground or assisting in classrooms. The program is response to low scores for safety on the most recent state survey.

In Kansas, the Shawnee Mission School District is telling its staff to avoid wearing safety pins because it could be a disruption in the classroom. The safety pin has emerged as a statement following the election of Donald Trump as president.

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Safety Law News for November 21, 2016

by Bernie James • November 21, 2016

In Georgia, more Gwinnett County public school students are being suspended from school than they were at this point a year ago.

In Washington State, a coalition of the community petitioned Spokane Public Schools to revise the district’s use-of-force policy earlier this month, expressing concerns the policy was too similar to the Spokane Police Department’s.

In Tennessee, Madison County Juvenile Court officials want the schools to decrease the number of referrals of minor matters that should be handled through the school disciplinary process.

In Nebraska, the Scottsbluff Public Schools practices active shooter response simulations using the Standard Response Protocol from the “I Love You Guys” Foundation.

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Safety Law News for November 9, 2016

by Bernie James • November 9, 2016

In Arkansas, officials in the Little Rock School District have made the decision to pull all officers from its elementary schools. In its place is a new mobile security system that allows officers to drive to multiple schools to do security checks, instead of being stationed at each elementary school.

In Pennsylvania, the Safe Schools Initiative Targeted Grant program has awarded $6.5 million in grants for the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers, and to prevent and reduce violent incidents through programs and security equipment.

In Nebraska, the Omaha Education Association and area teachers lament the new restorative justice discipline policy. Teachers say that it is time the consequences fit the crimes. One teacher has already resigned because of the violence.

In New Jersey, the United States District Court held that a student was appropriately disciplined for his out-of-school postings on YouTube and Twitter that disparaged, harassed, intimidated and bullied fellow students, and triggered the school’s obligations under the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act. [Dunkley v. Board of Education of the Greater Egg Harbor].