School Safety Law Blog – Page 90 – News and Information for School Safety

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.

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.

by Bernie James • July 29, 2016

In New York City, dozens of school resource officers were hospitalized after clashes with students in the first three months of the year, according to NYPD data. Sixty-nine suffered injuries; 40 were severe enough to require hospital visits. Out of a total of 1,208 incidents, 436 students were arrested during the first quarter of the year. There were five incidents of rape.

In Iowa, law enforcement officials are launching a pilot project with three school districts that would allow them to use the Iowa Communications Network to tap into security cameras and conduct secure radio communications to deal with emergency situations inside school buildings.

In California, the California Healthy Kids Survey reports that fewer students are using drugs and alcohol, but more feel harassed and bullied.

In Alabama, all of the school resource officers in Huntsville City Schools will have body cameras.

by Bernie James • July 26, 2016

In Indiana, a Decatur County Community Schools official praised the impact police officers working in schools have had on students and said the presence of officers has changed the environment in positive ways.

In Illinois, Kane County educators are demanding full-time SROs for two high schools. The sheriff’s office offered to provide part-time resource officers, but educators say that is not a satisfactory solution.

In New York City, public schools will no longer be allowed to suspend students in kindergarten through second grade under proposed updates to the Department of Education’s discipline code announced. Educators want resources to be in place before the changes to the code are made.

In Indiana, a new survey of Indianapolis Public Schools teachers has found that the majority of the district’s teachers do not feel properly trained on the district’s new behavior plan intended to reduce student suspensions.

by Bernie James • July 21, 2016

In Virginia, the legislature has refiled a previously vetoed proposal on school safety. House Bill 1392 seeks to allow school security officers to carry firearms. The Governor vetoed the bill in April 2016 because he believes only trained, active law enforcement officials should be authorized to carry firearms in schools.

In New York City, teachers and staff in Queens speak openly about the failures of restorative justice. An 18-year old student arrested on felony charges for assaulting a 14-year-old freshman wasn’t disciplined by school officials. A court order barred him from the school, but he was still allowed to attend by school officials.

In Pennsylvania, school officials in the Penn Hills School District have banned students from wearing hoodies in class. All students may wear them to school, but must put them in lockers or bags once school begins.

In Illinois, Senate Bill 100 takes effect on September 15. The new law prohibits zero-tolerance policies within schools and requires school officials to implement restorative justice disciplinary policies.

by Bernie James • July 12, 2016

In Pennsylvania, the federal district court has ruled that educators did not violate the rights of a ninth grade student by suspending him for posting on his website page about a bomb going off at the school the next day. The Tinker v. Des Moines case was applied to the student’s off-campus speech because educators could reasonably forecast substantial disruption at school where the speech was threatening student or school safety. [R.L. v. Central York School District].

In California, the state court of appeal refused to get involved in a dispute on restorative justice discipline policies by deferring to a decision by the Commission on Professional Competence to reinstate an administrator for failing to call the police or report to anyone an incident involving the sale of marijuana on campus. The reinstatement was based on the administrator’s promise that she would not repeat her mistake in the future. [Bellflower Unified School District v. Commission On Professional Competence].

In Texas, the Greenville Independent School District is proceeding with plans to form its own police department. The plan would involve the hiring of a GISD Chief of Police and additional school resource officers.

In Connecticut, the Bridgeport Board of Education voted to eliminate the five school resource officers who are funded by the board. The school board cut the resource officers not just because the move will save nearly $500,000 a year, but because many of the duties the resource officers were performing were police duties.