School Safety Law Blog – Page 89 – News and Information for School Safety

Safety Law News for August 30, 2016

by Bernie James • August 30, 2016

In California, SB 1072 has been approved by the legislature and placed on the desk of the Governor. The state law would require school buses to be outfitted with an alarm system to ensure students are not forgotten on the vehicles — a proposal prompted by the death of an autistic student.

Massachusetts had 135 bomb threats in the 2015-16 school year, the most in the country. Robocalls allow many of the threats to reach multiple schools at once.

In California, the Kern High School District in Bakersfield has a new policy that allows non-employee concealed carry permit holders to bring guns on its campuses. The policy will require the individual to sign up for a $1 million liability insurance coverage plan.

In Texas, the Court of Appeals ruled that that questioning of a student by a principal does not, as a general rule, rise to the level of custodial interrogation. Therefore, the statutory warnings required by section 51.095 of the Texas Juvenile Justice Code did not apply. [In the Matter of C.R.M.]

Safety Law News for August 26, 2016

by Bernie James • August 26, 2016

In Minnesota, St. Paul Public Schools agreed to a new SRO contract with the police department that will dress officers in nontraditional uniforms and require that officers meet with students and teachers on a monthly basis to help build trust and understanding.

In South Carolina, the University of South Carolina’s Institute for Public Service and Policy Research released a survey in which almost 76% of South Carolinians think assigning police officers to schools is a good way to reduce juvenile crime, and more than 90% think it’s a good way to enhance safety in schools.

In New York, the York Central School District is implementing the Rapid Responder technology platform in an effort to strengthen their safety and emergency preparedness.

A new Gallup poll reports that more students fear for their physical safety in schools today than they have at any point since 2001. Overall, 13% of K-12 students in the country were reported to be concerned for their safety in schools. 28% of parents are concerned for their children’s safety in school.

Safety Law News for August 23, 2016

by Bernie James • August 23, 2016

In North Carolina, the Brunswick County school board has voted unanimously to add naloxone to the schools’ emergency kits as a precautionary measure. Naloxone can reverse the effects of an overdose of opioids such as heroin or painkillers.

In Georgia, Gwinnett County officials report that the number of disciplinary hearings rose from 1,289 during the 2014-15 school year to 1,588 during the 2015-16 school year. The biggest increase was for allegations of student indecency, such as sharing sexually explicit material or inappropriately touching a classmate.

In Vermont, parents in Newport are outraged over a decision to remove a school resource officer from their local high school just before the start of the new school year due to budgetary concerns.

In Missouri, schools in Harrisonville are using a new device called Guardian Angel to deter campus intruders. The device barricades teachers and students inside their classrooms and can withstand 7,000 pounds of force.

Safety Law News for August 16, 2016

by Bernie James • August 16, 2016

In Ohio, the Stow-Munroe Falls School District is implementing a new visitor management system. The system requires visitors to have their state or federal identification scanned. It checks the identification against a national database of registered sex offenders. It can also be set to check other databases created by school officials.

In Florida, the students at Tampa Bay schools are bringing weapons. Florida Department of Education data showed 788 weapons were recovered in the Tampa Bay schools during a two-year period from 2013-2015. That’s an average of 2.2 incidents per day.

In New York City, officials have modified the plan to eliminate all suspensions of disruptive grammar school students (K-second grade). Instead of the requirement that limits discipline to alternative solutions, such as counseling, the new guidelines allow for suspensions if a student has already been removed from the classroom three times during a semester or twice during a trimester.

In Kansas, school officials in the Maize Unified School District have adopted the “Run, Hide, Fight” crisis response plan for faculty, staff, and students. The plan urges people confronted by a shooter to assess the situation and respond accordingly, either by escaping to a safe place, taking cover, or attempting to disarm the intruder, using improvised weapons if that’s their only option.

Safety Law News for August 11, 2016

by Bernie James • August 11, 2016

In South Carolina, the State Board of Education is proposing new rules that would redefine how school resource officers will interact with students. The proposed rules say an SRO should not get involved until student behavior becomes criminal. Other counties are already moving in this direction.

In Arkansas, the circuit judge of the juvenile court in Conway is meeting with all of the school resource officers to talk about how they can make a difference in the lives of young people.

In Wisconsin, a collaborative agreement between the La Crosse School District and the La Crosse Police Department aims to support and improve community relations with youth without having to criminalize acts that could be viewed as normal adolescent behaviors.

In Illinois, parents and students in Kane County are meeting with the Kane County School Board to demand full-time school resource officers be restored at both schools when the school year begins.

Safety Law News for August 4, 2016

by Bernie James • August 4, 2016

In New Hampshire, a new drug prevention curriculum is coming to Rochester schools in an effort to teach kids at a younger age. The LEAD program (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) will replace the DARE program.

In Virginia, the Attorney General is launching a new online program that helps teens understand their rights while interacting with law enforcement. The program will be taught by SROs in Virginia schools.

In Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has ruled that school officials did not violate the law when they required students to take breathalyzer tests before entering the school-sponsored prom. [Ziegler v. Martin County School District]

In Georgia, school officials and law enforcement in Thomasville are implementing a new safety program called “see something, say something.” The program allows students to remain anonymous when reporting crimes within their school.

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