Safety Law News for December 12, 2018

 

  • In Oregon, the Portland Board of Education is holding a series of hearings with stakeholders on a proposed MOU with the Portland Police Department for a school resource officer program. A summary the input from students ranges from: (1) fear and anxiety when viewing uniformed police; (2) lack of understanding about the role of the SRO; (3) the desire to have a dedicated officer as a means to having a meaningful relationship; (4) the belief that the SRO is the key to campus safety from outsiders; (5) desire to have a voice in the selection of the SRO.

 

  • In New York, the Governor signed into law a mandated reporting policy that requires all private schools — including charter schools, state-supported and state-operated schools as well as boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) — to report abuse allegations directly to law enforcement, the child’s parents and the Department of Education. (Bill A08485B).

 

  • In West Virginia, officials are considering responses to a report that $100 million is needed to employ the number of mental health workers needed in schools to serve children affected by the ongoing drug epidemic. A study cited by the ACEs Connection, estimates that 26.1 percent of West Virginia children have experienced an adverse childhood experience, compared to 21.7 percent nationwide.