School Violence Prevention Resolution Exposed

The School Violence Prevention Resolution was adopted by ALEC's Criminal Justice Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit on December 9, 1999, approved by the full ALEC Board of Directors in January, 2000. ALEC has attempted to distance itself from this piece of legislation after the launch of ALECexposed.org in 2011, but it has done nothing to get it repealed in the states where it previously pushed for it to be made into law.

ALEC Resolution Text

Summary

This resolution declares that all school students have the right to the surety that schools and classrooms are safe, and requests from the state Department of Education an accounting, evaluation, and reporting of those school violence prevention programs that are being used successfully in other schools across the state in order to help school systems and personnel be better prepared to deal with school violence. Resolution

WHEREAS, the people of this nation and of the state of {name of state} have been shocked by recent widely publicized violent incidents at schools throughout the nation, but these are only the most visible of countless events in schools throughout the state and nation in which the safety and lives of school children and school faculty and staff are placed in jeopardy; and WHEREAS, Students, teachers and other school personnel should be assured the ability to teach and learn in a safe school environment; and

WHEREAS, it is unfortunate, but true, that one of the greatest priorities in school management and administration today is to take all steps necessary to protect school children and staff from harm that may be caused by intruders on school campuses, as well as by students or staff; and

WHEREAS, the {name of state legislative body} has enacted a number of provisions intended to guide and assist school administrators in taking appropriate action to protect school children and staff; and

WHEREAS, it is important that these statutes be fully and appropriately implemented and that other steps be taken to assure that all reasonable action has been taken and all reasonable measures implemented to provide for prevention of school violence and readiness of school personnel to deal with any incident that may arise.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the {name of state legislative body} does hereby urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to comprehensively examine actions taken by school boards, school system staffs, and school administrators to prevent school violence and to deal with incidents of violence in schools and on school property, and to report in writing to the House and Senate Committees on Education, prior to the convening of the 2001 Regular Session of the Legislature, study findings and recommendations for legislation or administrative actions to improve the preparedness of {name of state} public school systems and personnel to deal with school violence.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and to the state superintendent for public elementary and secondary education.

Adopted by ALEC's Criminal Justice Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit December 9, 1999.

Approved by full ALEC Board of Directors January, 2000.