GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 4

Short Title:  Safe Schools Act of 1997.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Winner; Albertson, Ballance, Conder, Cooper, Dalton, Gulley, Hoyle, Lee, Lucas, Martin of Guilford, Miller, Odom, Perdue, Plyler, Rand, Reeves, Shaw of Cumberland, Soles, Warren, Weinstein, and Wellons.

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Referred to:  Education/Higher Education.

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February 3, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ENACT THE SAFE SCHOOLS ACT OF 1997.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Whereas, many schools in North Carolina have achieved a safe and orderly environment but others have not; and
Whereas, students, teachers, and other school personnel in all schools are entitled to a school environment that is safe, secure, and orderly; and
Whereas, students cannot learn in schools that are not safe, secure, and orderly; and
Whereas, recent statistics compiled by the Department of Public Instruction show an unacceptable level of violent acts and drug-related offenses in public schools; and
Whereas, many teachers leaving the profession cite lack of school safety and lack of discipline as one of their reasons for leaving; and
Whereas, national surveys show that one of parents' greatest concerns about public schools in this country is the lack of school safety and discipline; and
Whereas, all schools must be free of drugs, violence, and weapons; and
Whereas, all schools must be free of disruption, there must be a climate of respect, and appropriate personal conduct must be a priority; and
Whereas, the General Assembly has given local boards of education greater flexibility in serving the needs of violent and disruptive students and in  removing violent students from the classroom, funded alternative schools, provided school resource officers for schools that need them,  funded local school safety initiatives, and funded local efforts to coordinate services for students at risk of academic failure and students with discipline problems; and
Whereas, State and local governments, officials, and employees, public school personnel, parents, students, communities, and businesses must do all that is necessary to ensure that schools are safe, secure, and orderly; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  This act shall be known as "The Safe School Act of 1997".
Section 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.