Agenda Materials for June 22, 2023 Schools Safety Task Force Meeting

Browse Search

DRAFT safety to school faculty, staff, law enforcement, youth-serving community agencies, juvenile justice officials, policymakers, parents/guardians, and students. The Center promotes safe learning environments for N.C. K-12 with a focus on prevention and mitigation as well as response and recovery in school safety events. Ms. Fairley discussed Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) and use of demarcation of school property, windows and lighting, natural surveillance and landscaping to promote safety. She also reviewed several programs for safety under statute that promote safety and planning, including annual updating of Vulnerability Assessments and Comprehensive Safety Plans, development of Anonymous Reporting Systems, and four phases of emergency management (State Emergency Response Application (SERA) and School Risk Management Plans (SRMP)). Ms. Fairley emphasized the importance and statutory requirement (NCGS 115C.105.49) of consistent annual drills, including reunification plans and communication with parents, and the need for physical security audits. Limited funding is available through the Center for SRO's whom she defined as helping provide safe learning environments, resources for staff, positive relationships with youth, and strategies to resolve problems affecting youth and protecting all students. She advised that SROs should not be seen as an enforcement arm of the school system. For its April 27, 2023, meeting, the Task Force invited speakers John Roberts, County Attorney for Orange County Board of Commissioners, and UNC Law School Professor, Mary-Rose Papandrea, who is considered an expert on the First Amendment and the Constitution and currently teaches a course specifically on education and constitutional law. Mr. Roberts provided an overview of laws impacting conduct at schools by students, parents and others. He briefly discussed prohibition of weapons on school property and effects of conceal carry laws, the legal provisions of NCGS 36A about creating a public disturbance that may disrupt a school, and the meaning of"disorderly conduct" as used in the statute. Part of his review and questions from members focused on protests and other activities that might occur on the public roadway adjoining a school property, including sidewalks, right of ways, and school property in right of ways. Professor Papandrea noted by way of background that some categories of expressive activities have either no or limited First Amendment protection. These include knowingly defamatory statements, true threats intending to communicate an intent to commit an act of violence, and incitement which encompasses statements that are directed to inciting immediate unlawful activity. She shared that there is no category of unprotected speech called "hate speech", and government generally has no power to restrict expression because of its message, its ideas, its subject matter, or its 5