Safety Law News for December 12, 2016 – School Safety Law Blog

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.