The Toolbox is our firm’s all day training program that outlines ten “tools” that school administrators can use to do the two things the law requires: maintain safety while serving all students appropriately.  That’s what the law requires, and it’s not easily done.  Last school year ended with a horrific event in Uvalde, which is sure to produce a lot of legislative activity during the next session that starts in January.  I expect that there will be more emphasis on security, police, and the “hardening” of the building.  This is one of the things I’ll be discussing with Dr. Harrell, Uvalde’s superintendent, in our Zoom with the Dawg call this Thursday.

Current law, however, puts some restrictions on the role played by SROs and other security personnel.  Section 37.081(d-2) tells us that schools may not assign duties regarding “routine student discipline” to a “school district peace officer, a school resource officer, or security personnel.”  The board is required to coordinate with campus behavior coordinators and other district employees to make sure that the district’s security staff “are tasked only with duties related to law enforcement intervention and not tasked with behavioral or administrative duties better addressed by other district employees.”

That’s a conversation that should be happening in your district, a conversation to make clear the distinction between “routine student discipline” and “law enforcement duties.”

DAWG BONE: LET’S BE SURE EVERYONE IS CLEAR ON THIS DISTINCTION.

Got a question or comment for the Dawg?  Let me hear from you at jwalsh@wabsa.com. 

What SCOTUS did: Round One….