School Safety in the News 2-3-13

Yakima officials make case for school safety at Olympia hearing
Yakima Herald-Republic (press release)

Local members of Virginia school safety task force react to recommendations
WDBJ7

Existing Firearms Laws Protection Enough
Hartford Courant

Roanoke Valley schools review school safety suggestions
WSLS

Etowah School Safety committee requests $5 million
WBRC

SCHOOL SAFETY: Loebsack Starts Conversation
WHOTV.com

School Safety Funding
WCTV

Oneida district talks school safety, cameras
Idaho State Journal

School Administrators Voice School Safety Concerns to Senator
WDTV

Vermont teacher makes comments, police take his weapons

Safe Havens, International

Officers Used Surprise to Apprehend Fillmore Student Accused of Carrying Gun to School

Ventura, CA
Officers used the element of surprise in apprehending a Fillmore High School student accused of bringing a gun to school, an administrator said Friday in giving details of the incident.

The 15-year-old girl was arrested Thursday in a classroom after a gun was found in her pocket, said Earl Davis, assistant superintendent of business services for the Fillmore Unified School District.

He said the classroom had two doors, and while a school resource officer entered it through the main door, a deputy sheriff went in through the back door.

Davis said the girl did not notice the deputy approaching her from the back and she was safely taken into custody. Authorities said she was arrested about 10 a.m. after a gun was found in her pocket.

School officials sent an alert to parents about the arrest, Davis said.

Safe Havens, International

Granite City School Suspends Multiple Students over Twitter Comments

Granite City, MO
A sexually inappropriate tweet about a teacher started it, but by the time administrators at Granite City High scoured the recent social media activity of students, at least 10 were suspended, unleashing an explosion of criticism online.

School administrators said they had no choice but to act because students violated school rules.

But an official with the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said the school district and others throughout the country are commonly going too far when it comes to monitoring Internet activity outside of school.

Safe Havens, International

Calif. School, Parents Surprised by Student Athletes’ Fantasy League Involving Sex, Classmates

San Francisco, CA
School administrators and parents are wrestling with how to respond to news that some male high school athletes created a statistics-based fantasy league that awarded points when girls the boys “drafted” were rumored to have engaged in sexual activity.

Parents at Piedmont High School were notified of the league’s existence in a letter and email Friday.

Varsity athletes used the online competition, modeled after fantasy leagues common in major league sports, as a bonding activity for the last five or six years, Principal Rich Kitchens said in the letter.

“Male students earn points for documented engagement in sexual activities with female students,” he wrote.

Most of the female students who were drafted into the league weren’t aware of the competition, he added.

Officials at the San Francisco Bay area suburban school learned about the game during an assembly on date rape earlier this month. Administrators interviewed students, parents and staff members, but weren’t able to identify any participants in the competition, which students referred to as a “Fantasy Slut League,” Kitchens said.

Safe Havens, International

Suicide Attempts Worry School Officials

Chardon, OH
Seven suicide attempts by students at the same Ohio high school where a mass shooting occurred in February has officials concerned.

The Willoughby News-Herald reports there were seven suicide attempts by six Chardon High School students from May through September. Administrators are now taking action to try to prevent others.

School district superintendent Joseph Bergant told the newspaper he thinks the February shooting at the school that left three students dead has taken its toll on survivors.

The district is now increasing efforts to spread awareness regarding the signs and symptoms of those who may be considering doing harm to themselves or others and need help.

Safe Havens, International

School Bans Hugs, Students up in Arms

Forest City, NC

Schools reasonably ban cigarettes, drugs and violence — but hugging? Students are not embracing Chase Middle School's hugging ban.

The Forest City, N.C. school's administrators said they will not tolerate consensual light embraces between friends. Hugs, they maintain, are not appropriate school behavior.

This stance came to light after a frightening seizure sent eighth-grader Parker Jackson to the hospital in an ambulance.

His classmates welcomed him back with many hugs the following day, reported Fox Carolina. But the administration would not stand for those public displays of affection.


Parker Jackson, left, and Erika Parris, enjoy a nice warm hug.

Safe Havens, International

Kirtland Central High School Continues to Respond to Tension

Farmington, NM
Detectives interviewed dozens of Kirtland Central High School students and the school district said it is taking steps to stay ahead of student squabbles after a high-strung week.

Altercations between students and threats of violence prompted law enforcement to have an increased presence at the high school this week.

A fight near the school on Tuesday left one student needing medical attention. School administrators sent a letter home with students on Wednesday telling parents a student had died unexpectedly in Shiprock last weekend and the note asked parents to monitor social networking sites for threats or bullying because of recent incidents at the school.

Safe Havens, International

School Safety Policy Changed after Knife Incident

Mount Vernon, OH
Mount Vernon Police Department and the city school administration are investigating reports of middle school students being threatened by another middle school student in possession of a knife.

The alleged incident took place Tuesday afternoon at Dan Emmett Elementary School after the shuttle bus from the middle school dropped off its riders. It was reported to the News that one child made a “mean face” at another, who then pulled a knife. The first child then ran away screaming, according to a witness.

An older student asked what was going on and was also threatened with the knife. Her brother then intervened by yelling, “Get away from my sister!"

While unable by law to discuss an ongoing investigation, Superintendent Steve Short did say the district is taking the reports seriously and has changed its after school procedure with regard to middle school students who ride the shuttle bus to Dan Emmett.

Safe Havens, International