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

Safety Law News for October 6, 2017

by Bernie James • October 6, 2017

In Delaware, HB 176 was signed into law. The new policy eliminates zero tolerance for students who bring weapons to school and gives school boards more discretion when it comes to deciding whether to suspend a student for possession of a “deadly weapon.” The new policy will only be applied to weapons other than guns.

In North Carolina, Wake County school officials are changing the policy on intervention in school disruptions. The proposed policy will encourage faculty and staff to use de-escalation techniques and other non-physical means to break up confrontations between students.

In Pennsylvania, the Gateway School Board has accepted a donation of 18 Tasers from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office to be used by its own school police force of 12 officers.

In Arkansas, educators and legislators are seeking a more reliable funding stream for a Rave Panic Button mobile application. A new law (HB 1653) requires public schools to implement Panic Button systems, but only if funding is available.

by Bernie James • October 4, 2017

In Florida, local educators and Apopka Police Department are presenting a new elementary school program to help students make positive decisions. It’s called MAGIC – an acronym for Mentoring, Advising, Guiding and Instructing Children.

In South Carolina, Charleston County School Board members call for metal detectors after 3 students bring guns to school.

In Washington State, school resource officers have asked Spokane Public Schools to train and arm them with guns. The officers are school employees and are considered limited-commission officers who can arrest and investigate crimes both on and off school property.

In New Mexico, the Las Cruces School District has created a new public safety department that has 30 security guards working in the schools.

In New Hampshire, officials in Manchester are battling the opioid crisis, and school resource officers are on the front lines, helping students deal with the challenges they face every day.

by Bernie James • September 30, 2017

In Tennessee, officials in Wilson County are experiencing an increase in teen drug use. While most are from repeat offenders, the trend is causing educators and school resource officers to be more attentive. In Dickson County, officials are looking to the D.A.R.E. program as a primary resource.

In South Carolina, it has been one year since 14-year-old Jesse Osborne drove to the school and shot two students and a teacher. Local and state officials continue to debate, without agreement, new state policies to keep schools safe.

In Arizona, this school year over 500 public school teachers have fled the classroom, according to the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association. Of those, 90 flat-out abandoned the job, leaving their keys in the classroom and notifying administrators they wouldn’t be back the next day. A general lack of respect for the profession is one reason given. Another theme is school discipline, i.e., coping with nearly a third of the class coming in late because there are no consequence for tardiness.

In North Carolina, officials are discussing how to close a loophole in the law that prohibits registered sex offenders from being on school property.

In New Jersey, the Board of Education in Berkeley Heights has approved an agreement with the Berkeley Heights Police Department that will place a Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer into the school district. Class III officers must be a retired police officer who has previously served in law enforcement.

by Bernie James • September 8, 2017

In Arizona, the Phoenix City Council has approved agreements with 22 area districts at 94 schools to provide 83 school resource officers immediately.

In Illinois, the new police chief of the City of Niles unveiled several initiatives designed to bolster community-police relations and improve the police department’s ability to prevent crime. To increase collaboration between NPD and the school districts that serve the village, Chief Luis Tigera will be reinstating the School Resource Officer program.

In Colorado, officials in the Thompson School District are collaborating with the Loveland Police Department to implement a new program called the Digital Futures Initiative. The program teaches students proper digital citizenship – how to form appropriate relationships both online and in person and avoid substance abuse.

In North Carolina, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Johnston County and Cumberland County school districts joined the Asheville City, Transylvania County and Tyrrell County school districts to ban the use of the prone restraint technique on students.

by Bernie James • September 6, 2017

In California, officials at the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District are implanting a new disciplinary program with Monterey County juvenile justice agencies. “Advocating Responsible Choices” is basically a diversion program that relies upon school resource officers who make the initial contact and administer the program.”

In Kentucky, the Boyle County Sheriffs’ Office is adding a four-year-old German shepherd to the Boyle County School Resource Officer Program. Together with the SRO, the dog walks the halls of each of the Boyle County Schools and check the parking lots.

In Georgia, officials at the McDuffie County School Board of Education are implementing new safety procedures at football games at the high school. Metal detectors will be utilized for entry and all bags will be searched at entry points. Additional School Resource Officers will also be on hand for all varsity home games to speed up utilizing metal detectors.

In California, trustees with the Santa Rita Union School District voted to start a school resource officer program at their schools. The Salinas Police Chief says she wants school resource officers in the Santa Rita district to do neighborhood policing on campus.

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.