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2005 SESSION

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HB 2879 Harassment; school bds. to establish measure to prevent, and guidelines for video monitoring.

Introduced by: Robert G. Marshall | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Character education and student conduct codes; policies on bullying in schools. Directs the Board of Education to include bullying in its standards for school board policies on student conduct and requires school boards to include (i) instruction on the inappropriateness of bullying in their character education programs and (ii) bullying provisions in their student conduct codes. In addition, the measure requires the reporting of incidents of stalking to principals and division superintendents. Finally, except as may be prohibited by federal law, regulation, or jurisprudence, principals must report certain violent acts, stalking, and other conduct to parents of the minor student who is the target of the conduct; included in this report is disclosure that the incident has been reported to law enforcement, and that the parent may contact law enforcement for further information. This bill is identical to HB 2266 (Bell).

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

School boards; policies on bullying.  Directs the Board of Education to include bullying in its standards for school board policies on student conduct and requires school boards to include (i) instruction on the inappropriateness of bullying in their character education programs and (ii) bullying provisions in their student conduct codes.  In addition, the measure requires the reporting of incidents of stalking to principals and division superintendents.  Finally, except as may be prohibited by federal law, regulation, or jurisprudence, principals must report certain violent acts, stalking, and other conduct to parents of the minor student who is the target of the conduct; included in this report is disclosure that the incident has been reported to law enforcement, and that the parent may contact law enforcement for further information.  This bill is identical to HB 2266 (Bell).

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Education; prevention of bullying and establishment of guidelines for video monitoring in schools.  Directs the Board of Education and local school boards to establish measures for the prevention of bullying, harassment, and intimidation in schools and to establish guidelines for the use of video cameras in schools to monitor students, where appropriate, including in the course of any police interview. The bill also requires school principals to report certain incidents to law-enforcement officers and to notify the parents of any minor student who is taken into custody or questioned by law-enforcement officers. Further, no minor student may be questioned by a law-enforcement officer or be asked to give consent to a waiver of any rights unless a parent, guardian, or lawyer representing the student is present. The model school crisis and emergency plan developed by the Board of Education shall set forth required procedures, including mandatory periodic drills, and means by which parents can effectively contact the relevant school or school division regarding the location and safety of their school children and by which school officials shall contact parents, with parental approval, during a critical event or emergency.