Uvalde parents furious as report into attack that killed 22 absolves police
Families outraged by city inquiry that said officers who waited outside as shooting took place showed ‘level-headed thinking’
Associated Press, March 7, 2024
An investigation Uvalde city leaders ordered into the Robb elementary school shooting put no blame on local police officers and defended their actions on Thursday, despite acknowledging a series of rippling failures during the fumbled response to the 2022 classroom attack that left 19 children and two teachers dead.
Several family members of victims walked out in anger midway through a presentation that portrayed Uvalde police department officers as acting swiftly and appropriately, in contrast to scathing and sweeping state and federal past reports that faulted police at every level.
School Shooting Deaths Have Increased 500% in 53 Years
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows the number of school shootings each year has increased more than 12 times since 1970.
By Amy Rock, March 11, 2024
A newly released report shows the likelihood of children becoming school shooting victims has quadrupled from 1970 to 2022.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) on March 6, analyzed data from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), which included 2,056 school shooting incidents involving 3,083 victims in a period ending in May 2022.
The data shows the number of school shootings each year has increased more than 12 times (20 incidents in 1970 to 251 incidents in 2021). Subsequently, the rate of children being school shooting victims increased from 0.49 to 2.21 per one million population. Deaths also increased more than sixfold from 0.16 to 0.97.
Police arrest 3 more students after Fridley melee that injured SRO Nico Wallat
By Allen Henry, Updated on: March 9, 2024
FRIDLEY, Minn. — Police arrested three more students for a massive fight at Fridley High School. Investigators say they believe one student kicked a school resource officer in the head.
Cell phone video caught the incident Thursday in the school's parking lot. City officials call the violence "unacceptable."
"I want them to be prosecuted," Fridley Mayor Scott Lund said.
The city identified Nico Wallat as the officer seriously injured by a student during the fight. Police say Wallat separated a 14- and 15-year-old, and then a 16-year-old bystander allegedly kicked him in the head.
‘They get forgotten;’ Local school district provides emergency response training for bus drivers
By WHIO Staff, March 11, 2024, at 9:25 p.m. EDT
FAIRBORN — A local school district has implemented new training for its bus drivers.
As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, Fairborn City Schools bus drivers were trained on what to do if there is an active shooter and how they can de-escalate conflict. Drivers are often left out of emergency planning, but that’s no longer the case for Fairborn.
Fairborn City Schools’ Director of Safety and Security Bill Titley partnered with the School Transportation Active Threat Response Training (START) group to put this plan into action.
In Kentucky, the Court of Appeals of Kentucky affirmed the application of qualified immunity in a case involving a student who while “in his fifth-period civics class, drank an alcoholic beverage from a water bottle” and, when being taken to the administrative office attempted to leave campus, causing the SRO to take the student down to the floor in a restraint hold. The appellate court noted that dismissal of the case base upon qualified immunity was appropriate because, “(p)roviding a safe school environment is “a general and continuing supervisory duty ... which depends upon constantly changing circumstances.” In this case, “two breathalyzer tests…showed a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.126% and the second a BAC of 0.132%. Both exceeded the minimum standard for intoxication.” Furthermore, “school officials reasonably believed they could not allow (the student) to leave the school while intoxicated.” The appellate court also applied the state policy that “(p)hysical restraint may only be implemented in a public school or educational program if ... the student's behavior poses an imminent danger of physical harm to self or others.” Carpenter v. Goodall
In Washington State, the Supreme Court of Washington affirmed that school officials violated the statutory procedural rights of a student by indefinitely suspending him. Administrators expelled the high school student on an emergency basis for violating its “gang contract,” e.g., wearing clothing affiliated with a gang. The student also was cited for fighting another student on campus. Later, officials “converted (the) emergency expulsion into a long-term suspension.” The notice of this shift stated, “(d)ue to this situation and the involvement in others, aka victim of previous threat, the student will be long-term suspended and placed in an alternative educational setting.” The Supreme Court of Washington ruled that “students who face suspensions are entitled to due process.” Moreover, it relied upon state law which provides that “(an) expulsion or suspension of a student may not be for an indefinite period of time and must have an end date… If a school district enrolls a student in another program or course of study during a suspension or expulsion, the district may not preclude the student from returning to the student's regular educational setting following the end date of the suspension or expulsion, unless (certain exceptions apply).” The Supreme Court of Washington found that none of the statutory exceptions applied and rejected the argument by the school that it has power to declare a discretionary placement decision based on safety concerns. “Agreeing with the District would undermine the legislature's intent.” M.G. by Priscilla G. v. Yakima School District. No. 7
In Massachusetts, school resource officers in the Mansfield School District have started an afterschool video game club for middle-schoolers. “Twice a week after school, students in grades six through eight (at the Qualters Middle School) play games and enjoy a lively atmosphere. The games include Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros., and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, among others.” The superintendent stated that the “Game Club is yet another example of the impactful opportunities that our school resource officers develop for Mansfield students.”
In Kentucky, provisions in Senate Bill 2 will strengthen trauma-informed resources in schools by increas(ing) suicide prevention trainings for teachers and school staff. “According to the latest state data, one in seven high school students reported having seriously considered suicide within a 12-month period.”
In Texas, the Texas Attorney General “released an advisory clarifying the requirements under state law for school districts to prepare for potential threats to student safety. Texas families equipped with knowledge of the law are more empowered to hold districts accountable for implementing and following the policies essential to keeping children safe at school.”
In Iowa, the legislature is “proposing a $3 million grant program schools could use to pay for firearms and training for their staff.” House Study Bill 692, would create a grant program that “schools could use to purchase guns, add infrastructure, pay for training and provide stipends to staff who participate in training to receive a permit to carry weapons on school grounds.”
The Langham Huntington 1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue Pasadena, California 91106
On Thursday, April 25, we are dedicating an entire day to the prevention of violence in schools. Why? Simply put, we feel called to do more.
For more than 25 years, our Advanced Threat Assessment Academy has covered topics relevant to protecting students in K-12 and higher education environments. However, with the increased level and frequency of violence impacting our nation’s schools, we decided more is needed. For GDBA’s inaugural One-day School Safety Conference, we assembled the nation’s foremost thought leaders. Here they will share wisdom and collaborate with attendees toward one common goal: Preventing Violence in Schools…SOONER.
The establishment of an external door and window numbering system can be extremely valuable to emergency responders and will also assist your students and staff in acclimating themselves to door locations in case of an emergency. Request a free copy of our updated Model Door and Window Classroom Numbering System Guide.
