- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Winter Olympics
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Louisiana bill aims to protect teachers who stop fights at school
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:08 am
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:08 am
quote:
BATON ROUGE, La. — Increasing violence in schools has prompted lawmakers to propose the “Protect Teachers Act,” a bill that would grant protection from criminal liability to teachers who try to break up student-on-student violence.
“Instead of watching two kids kill each other, this allows teachers to stop that from happening,” the bill’s primary author, Rep. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, told the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure Monday.
The committee voted 11-0 to advance the bill, which would grant criminal immunity to teachers who use justifiable defense to stop battery and assault by one or more students. Teachers already have immunity from civil lawsuits when breaking up fights.
Hodges said she did not intend for the bill to protect teachers who abused students, stating that the immunity from criminal charges would apply only to teachers who did not have malicious intent.
She said a top official of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents had expressed support for the bill. Rep. Larry Frieman, R-Abita Springs, criticized teachers' unions for not openly supporting it.
But others expressed concern that teachers could be hurt in trying to stop fights.
Debra Broussard, a former teacher at Northside High School in Lafayette, said in a phone interview that she had witnessed many fights. The protocol was to call the office staff, who would send the campus police.
“We were told not to try to break them up,” she said. “Many teachers have been injured trying to break them up. We were told to close our doors and not to let our students get involved or film and share the fight.”
She said cell phones have complicated de-escalating school violence because some students would text each other about fights and leave without permission.
Representatives of two teachers’ unions told the Louisiana Illuminator that they want to make sure that Hodges’ bill is not interpreted as compelling teachers to intervene in fights and that all types of school employees have the criminal protection.
LINK
16
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:11 am to John88
quote:
Many teachers have been injured trying to break them up
Uh, it's not just confined to Many (or Sabine Parish for that matter). It's a state wide problem.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:12 am to John88
This is good legislation.
Still 0 chance im getting in the middle of two kids going at it.
Still 0 chance im getting in the middle of two kids going at it.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:12 am to John88
The fact that this needs to be a thing is just sad.
I remember back in the day when the male teachers would just do what needed to be done to break shite up.
I remember back in the day when the male teachers would just do what needed to be done to break shite up.
This post was edited on 4/25/23 at 11:14 am
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:12 am to John88
You’ve been cleared hot, take them out.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:13 am to John88
Yeah... don't want my wife breaking up a fight between two "kids" twice her size.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:13 am to LSUballs
quote:
Uh, it's not just confined to Many (or Sabine Parish for that matter). It's a state wide problem.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:13 am to John88
quote:
“We were told not to try to break them up,” she said. “Many teachers have been injured trying to break them up. We were told to close our doors and not to let our students get involved or film and share the fight.”
Good luck with that part.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:15 am to HottyToddy7
Our school has started suspending students for filming/sharing fights if it can be proven. That's helped deter it somewhat.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:16 am to John88
Assign a couple of Belgian Malinois to each school for the sole purpose of breaking up violent fights. This would likely eliminate the fights from ever starting.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:24 am to Pedro
quote:
Our school has started suspending students for filming/sharing fights if it can be proven. That's helped deter it somewhat.
that's a first amendment concern...
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:32 am to John88
There will be video of a fight between two students where a teacher gets hit while/for trying to break it up and the teacher lays at least one of the students the frick out. The family/friends of the knocked-out kid will be incensed (even after seeing the video).
When nothing is done to the teacher because of this law, the students will tread a bit more carefully at school (at least if they think that teacher is nearby).
When nothing is done to the teacher because of this law, the students will tread a bit more carefully at school (at least if they think that teacher is nearby).
Posted on 4/25/23 at 11:55 am to chalmetteowl
quote:im sure theres something that allows them to do it. our district also did away with what little dress code we had this year due to it being "unfair" or whatever so im sure they would be on top of this if it was an issue.
that's a first amendment concern...
Posted on 4/25/23 at 12:24 pm to John88
I remember as an assistant principal I got in between 2 boys in a fight during D lunch one day. I got shoved into a table and fell across it. The football players had that lunch, and several ran over and broke up the fight & picked me up off the floor.
The QB said, once they threw me on the floor, they had my back and they were stopping that fight for me. Glad I was their freshman football coach 3 years earlier!!
A girl fight... nope... not getting in the middle of that
The QB said, once they threw me on the floor, they had my back and they were stopping that fight for me. Glad I was their freshman football coach 3 years earlier!!
A girl fight... nope... not getting in the middle of that
Posted on 4/25/23 at 12:45 pm to John88
They need to let teachers have mace and just go in spraying the hell out of anyone in and around the fight
Posted on 4/25/23 at 12:59 pm to chalmetteowl
quote:
that's a first amendment concern...
Being suspended from school isn't a legal consequence.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 1:08 pm to Pedro
quote:
This is good legislation.
On paper? Yes. In practice? It's not going to have much effect because....
quote:
Still 0 chance im getting in the middle of two kids going at it.
Teachers aren't avoiding breaking up fights because they fear criminal repercussions for their actions. They avoid intervening because they don't want to be hurt themselves. Providing immunity from criminal charges isn't going to change that because that isn't the driving force to keep them from intervening. Plus, how much "force" is justifiable is an ambiguous standard.
While it wouldn't stop fights completely, or significantly encourage (often female teachers) from intervening, there also needs to be some degree of immunity from civil liability as well. The school doesn't really want teachers jumping in too much because (1) they generally will get hazard worker's comp pay if they are injured in breaking up the fight, and (2) if the teacher injures a kid, the school and teacher are likely to be sued.
If you want to encourage the basketball coach to jump in he likely has to know he won't face criminal charges AND a civil suit if in the process of breaking up the fight he pushes a kid out of the way who gets a concussion because he fell and hit his head
Posted on 4/25/23 at 2:14 pm to John88
A good attempt.
25 years too late.
We would break up fights by tackling both students to ground at speed, if possible.
25 years too late.
We would break up fights by tackling both students to ground at speed, if possible.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 2:35 pm to SG_Geaux
quote:
I remember back in the day when the male teachers would just do what needed to be done to break shite up.
It had better be over before the coaches got there or you were both getting wrecked.
Posted on 4/25/23 at 3:22 pm to John88
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News