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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 200
BY SENATOR GUILLORY
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the state Department of Education to study current discipline statutes
and policies and make recommendations to the Senate for ways to protect teachers
from classroom violence.
WHEREAS, the American Psychological Association recently established a task
force on violence directed against teachers; and
WHEREAS, the task force conducted a nationwide survey with the assistance of the
National Educators' Association and found that seven percent of teachers, which amounts
to over two hundred fifty-three thousand teachers, reported being threatened with injury each
year; and
WHEREAS, of those teachers, over one hundred twenty-seven thousand claim to
have been physically attacked by students; and
WHEREAS, the costs of teacher victimization include lost wages, lost classroom
days, teacher attrition, negative impact on learning for the students that do behave, medical
and psychological care, student disciplinary proceedings, and possible incarceration; and
WHEREAS, the nationwide costs of teacher victimization to teachers, parents, and
taxpayers are calculated to exceed two billion dollars annually; and
WHEREAS, it has been suggested that Louisiana's current student discipline statutes
could be strengthened to address student initiated violence directed toward teachers.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby urge and request the state Department of Education to study current discipline
statutes and policies and make recommendations to the Senate for ways to protect teachers
from classroom violence.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state Department of Education seek
testimony from the Louisiana School Boards Association, the Louisiana Association of
Educators, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, and the Associated Professional Educators
of Louisiana during the study. SR NO. 200 ENROLLED
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state Department of Education submit its
report to the Senate Committee on Education no later than February 1, 2015.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
state superintendent of education.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE