School Safety Law Blog – Page 98 – News and Information for School Safety

Safety Law News for September 29, 2015

by Bernie James • September 29, 2015

In Virginia, the Montgomery County Public Schools is ordering police officers not to use their body cameras on school property, no matter what the circumstance until a policy agreement can be worked out.

In Massachusetts, students at Worcester high schools are crying foul over a new policy that prohibits the wearing of hoodies.

In Washington State, last week students in the Mercer Island School District were banned from playing the popular childhood game of tag on the playground. After complaints, the policy was abrogated.

In Pennsylvania, the Dallas School District is implementing a Safety Patrol Program that uses fifth-grade students to provide extra eyes and ears on school buses.

Safety Law News for September 22, 2015

by Bernie James • September 22, 2015

In California, the Court of Appeal ruled that school officials have the authority to ask a school resource officer to search a student based upon reasonable suspicion. In the case a combination of facts created reasonable suspicion, including the student being caught on campus cutting class and having gang-style writing on his notebook. [In re Henry J.]

In New York, the Supreme Court ruled that school officials are not liable for injuries to a student sustained by bullying unless they had actual or constructive notice of prior conduct to place them on notice. [Maldari v. Mount Pleasant Cent. School Dist.] and [Emmanuel B. v. City of New York].

In New Hampshire, the Supreme Court ruled that a failure by school officials to comply with school bullying policy does not create a private right of action to sue the school district for injuries to a student. New Hampshire law gives educators immunity from this type of lawsuit. [Gauthier v. Manchester School District].

Safety Law News for September 18, 2015

by Bernie James • September 18, 2015

The United States Court of Appeals has ruled that school officials have qualified immunity when accessing a student’s social-networking account upon receiving information that the student sent threatening online messages to another student, where those remarks concerned school activities and where the quarrel began at a school-related function. [Jackson v. Ladner].

The United States District Court in Pennsylvania has ruled that school officials can be liable for preventing a student from obtaining medical treatment. In the case, a sixth grade student suffering from chronic asthma died because school policy prevented her from taking medication without the supervision of a nurse. No nurse was on duty on the day of the fatal asthma attack. [Estate of Massey v. City of Philadelphia].

In Virginia, the Commonwealth has awarded 519 schools School Security Equipment Grants totaling $6 million for video monitoring systems, metal detectors, classroom locks, electronic-access controls, visitor-identification systems and other security upgrades.

In Missouri, the Ritenour and Riverview Gardens school districts are using the new mobile school safety platform CrisisManager. CrisisManager communicates emergency response data to schools, local emergency responders, police departments and fire departments.

Safety Law News for September 15, 2015

by Bernie James • September 15, 2015

In Texas, students and faculty throughout Lake Dallas ISD held a celebration called “SRO Day” where they honored their school resource officers on their campuses.

In North Dakota, the Bismarck City Commissioners approved a budget that includes five M-4 assault rifles for school resource officers.

In Tennessee, all 49 Sumner County schools have implemented “LobbyGuard,” a visitor management automated system that screens each person who comes into a school. Visitors check in at a touch monitor in the front lobby. The system immediately notifies the school’s resource officer and the principal, who receive an email and a text message.

In Michigan, Attorney General Bill Schuette is promoting the hotline and online student safety system called OK2SAY. It allows students to report potential harm or criminal activities aimed at students, teachers, staff or other school employees.

Safety Law News for September 11, 2015

by Bernie James • September 11, 2015

In Colorado, John Michael Keyes has created a school safety plan called Standard Response Protocol. It is a simplified emergency plan instructing students to follow one of four procedures during any situation: Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter. Mr. Keyes is the father of Emily Keyes who was killed by an adult intruder at Platte Canyon High School in 2006.

In Pennsylvania, the Steel Valley schools have implemented the Raptor security system that allows the school to scan the driver’s license or state identification card of a visitor and produce an adhesive badge that visitors wear while in the building.

In Massachusetts, officials in Fall River are rethinking one element of their school safety plan after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court threw out a local ordinance in Lynn that prohibited registered Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of parks and schools.

In Colorado, Senate Bill 213 passed and now school districts can be held liable for incidents of violence in schools. The School Safety and Youth in Crisis Committee has the task of providing regulations for schools.

Safety Law News for September 8, 2015

by Bernie James • September 8, 2015

In Brunswick Ohio, officials are hosting a series of meetings for parents to address issues concerning students’ mental health and campus safety. The meetings feature presentations by mental health specialists, social workers, and school resource officers.

In New Jersey, the New Jersey School Security Task Force Final Report (August 2015) recommends police officers who have been trained to work in a school setting be on school grounds at all times. Some schools already have a school resource officer who is employed by the local police department and who has received that training. For some school districts it can come down to finances.

In Wisconsin, the Fond du Lac School District’s Annual Climate Report for 2013-14 indicates bullying incidents dropped by 17 percent last school year. Middle schools presented the highest number of the reports — 50 percent — a five-percent increase from the last annual study.

In South Carolina, the Richmond County school system experienced more “hard” lockdowns last month than during the last school year. Schools in hard lockdowns do not allow movement inside or outside the building, and teachers are instructed to cover their windows and move students away from breakable surfaces. Classes are not taught during hard lockdowns.

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