108B LB1146 LPS Testimony

Dear Education Committee:

Lincoln Public Schools supports the passage of LB1146 because it adds an exception to existing law to provide greater safety for staff and students from violent assault. Currently, the law allows an elementary school to suspend a student in pre-kindergarten through second grade if the student brings a “deadly weapon” on school grounds, in a vehicle owned, leased, or contracted by a school being used for a school purpose or in a vehicle being driven for a school purpose by a school employee or his/her designee, or at a school-sponsored activity or athletic event.

The bill amends the law to add that an elementary school may suspend a student in pre-kindergarten through second grade if the student engages in violent behavior capable of causing physical harm to another student or a school employee.

Providing a method to ensure a safe environment for staff and students seems a reasonable addition to state law.

John P. Neal
Lincoln Public Schools

Recent LPS testimony

109A LB550

Testimony on LB550 to Require school districts to adopt a policy that excuses students to attend a course for religious instruction by Lincoln Board of Education member, Piyush Srivastav

109A LB528

Testimony on LB528 to Change and eliminate provisions relating to grants from the State Department of Education Improvement Grant Fund by Interim Superintendent, Dr. John Skretta

109A LB497

Testimony on LB497 to Provide for admission of and participation in extracurricular activities by certain students that are not residents of the school district by Interim Superintendent, Dr. John Skretta

109A LB463

Testimony on LB463 to Require school districts to develop a cardiac emergency response plan under the School Safety and Security Reporting Act and provide for grants for such plans from the Medicaid Managed Care Excess Profit Fund by Director of Health Services, Wendy Rau

109A LB557

Testimony on LB557 to Change provisions relating to the enrollment option program, provide funding to students denied option enrollment, and eliminate provisions relating to open enrollment option students and diversity plans by Interim Superintendent, John Skretta

109A LB549

Testimony on LB549 to Allow a school board to employ a chaplain, including in a volunteer capacity, at a school by Interim Superintendent, John Skretta