Orange County NC Website
7 <br /> school safety to school faculty, staff, law enforcement, youth-serving community <br /> agencies, juvenile justice officials, policymakers, parents/guardians, and students. <br /> The Center promotes safe learning environments for N.C. K-12 with a focus on <br /> prevention and mitigation as well as response and recovery in school safety events. <br /> Ms. Fairley discussed Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) <br /> and use of demarcation of school property, windows and lighting, natural <br /> surveillance and landscaping to promote safety. She also reviewed several programs <br /> for safety under statute that promote safety and planning, including annual updating <br /> of Vulnerability Assessments and Comprehensive Safety Plans, development of <br /> Anonymous Reporting Systems and four phases of emergency management (State <br /> Emergency Response Application (SERA) and School Risk Management Plans <br /> (SRMP) (NCGS 115C-105.47 through 57). <br /> Ms. Fairley emphasized the importance and statutory requirement (NCGS 115C- <br /> 105.49) of consistent annual drills, including reunification plans and communication <br /> with parents, and the need for physical security audits. Limited funding is available <br /> through the Center for SROs whom she defined as helping provide safe learning <br /> environments, resources for staff, positive relationships with youth, and strategies to <br /> resolve problems affecting youth and protecting all students. She advised that SROs <br /> should not be seen as an enforcement arm of the school system. <br /> For its April 27, 2023, meeting, the Task Force invited speakers John Roberts, <br /> County Attorney for Orange County Board of Commissioners, and UNC Law <br /> School Professor, Mary-Rose Papandrea, who is considered an expert on the First <br /> Amendment and the Constitution and currently teaches a course specifically on <br /> education and constitutional law. Mr. Roberts provided an overview of laws <br /> impacting conduct at schools by students, parents and others. He briefly discussed <br /> prohibition of weapons on school property and effects of conceal carry laws, the <br /> legal provisions of NCGS 36A about creating a public disturbance that may disrupt <br /> a school, and the meaning of"disorderly conduct" as used in the statute. Part of his <br /> review and questions from members focused on protests and other activities that <br /> might occur on the public roadway adjoining a school property, including sidewalks, <br /> right of ways, and school property in right of ways. <br /> Professor Papandrea noted by way of background that some categories of expressive <br /> activities have either no or limited First Amendment protection. These include <br /> knowingly defamatory statements, true threats intending to communicate an intent <br /> to commit an act of violence, and incitement which encompasses statements that are <br /> directed to inciting immediate unlawful activity. She shared that there is no category <br /> of unprotected speech called "hate speech", and government generally has no power <br /> to restrict expression because of its message, its ideas, its subject matter, or its <br /> 5 <br />