— In Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeals ruled that educators violated the First Amendment rights of a student who after failing to make the school’s varsity cheerleading team, posted on the Internet the comment, “Fuck school fuck softball fuck cheer fuck everything.” The school suspended the student from the junior varsity team. The court applied the Tinker standard and ruled that the student’s post was off-campus speech, non-disruptive speech and was not subject to regulation. To rule otherwise would be “reducing the free speech rights of all young people who happen to be enrolled in public school.” (B.L. v. Mahanoy Area School District)
— In Minnesota, the Minneapolis Board of Education is quietly hiring security guards to replace the police that it unanimously voted to expel from its campuses. The posting seeks full-time public safety support specialists (PSSS) who must have law enforcement degrees and experience. Their list of responsibilities include breaking up fights, monitoring security at events, and providing a bridge between in-school intervention and law enforcement.
— In Indiana, school officials in the Avon Community Schools are launching a school police department. The Superintendent believes that the schools “need support from people who are specially-trained in handling legal situations that we as teachers and principals aren’t trained to handle.”
— In Minnesota, the St. Cloud Area School District 742 School Board voted to renew its contract with local area law enforcement and continue its School Resource Officer program. Educators believe that SROs deal with students not just on delinquent conduct, but also help students deal with tough issues at home and are beneficial at the school and in the community.