46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO IDENTIFY METHODS TO ENHANCE SECURITY AT SCHOOLS.

WHEREAS, many school classrooms are physically separated from main administration buildings and other classrooms and are not equipped with telephones, leaving teachers without an efficient way to summon help in the case of an emergency; and

WHEREAS, most classroom teachers are women and many work in their classrooms after school hours to grade homework or prepare for the next day's class; and

WHEREAS, criminal background checks are required for school district employees who come into contact with children, and some districts require criminal background checks of all employees; and

WHEREAS, despite that safeguard, violence against school employees can still occur; and

WHEREAS, workers are entitled to the safest working environment possible, and there may be many methods available to help school districts provide the safest working environment possible to their employees;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee be requested to study the issues surrounding the safety of school employees and ways in which safety could be increased and to report its findings and recommendations, if any, to the second session of the forty-sixth legislature; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the chair of the legislative education study committee.