Zero Tolerance for Victimization of Students: The Implications of House Bill 267 on Juvenile Offenders

Florida Legislature recently passed House Bill 267, which makes it mandatory for public schools to have a zero tolerance policy for students being victimized. The bill aims to protect victims of violent crimes from further harm by keeping them away from their attackers. This bill was created because the state was not doing enough to keep schools safe. It was reported that many children in Florida were sexually assaulted at school. The sponsors of the bill mentioned real cases where students had to see their attackers every day at school. This bill is meant to prevent that from happening. The bill stops students who have committed serious crimes from going to the same school or riding the same school bus as their victims or their siblings. Judges can also make orders to keep the perpetrator away from the victim. The Department of Juvenile Justice will tell the school district when a student has been in trouble with the law, and if they can’t go to the same school or ride the same bus as the victim. If the victim and their parent agree, the court can allow the perpetrator to go to the same school or ride the same bus as the victim. The new law requires schools to protect victims of bullying from further harm by making sure they don’t have to be around the person who hurt them. If the offender can’t go to a different school, the school has to find other ways to keep them apart. If the school doesn’t follow these rules, the principal won’t get their performance pay. This means schools need to follow the new law to keep everyone safe. The new law in Florida allows schools to suspend students who have been charged with a felony, even before they’ve been found guilty. This is to protect other students from potential harm. However, it’s causing some concerns for schools, as they now have to figure out how to handle these suspended students, especially in rural areas where alternative schools may not be available. The costs and logistics of dealing with this new law fall on the offender and their parents. Overall, this new law is making things more complicated for everyone involved. This is a column written by an attorney about a bill in Florida that was sponsored by two state representatives. It discusses a law that provides salary incentives for teachers who improve their performance and training. The author is an experienced attorney with a background in public administration and military service. The column is submitted on behalf of a section of the Florida Bar that focuses on criminal law.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/zero-tolerance-for-victimization-of-students-the-implications-of-house-bill-267-on-juvenile-offenders/