Green Bay, WI: Teachers need bill to provide protection in the classroom

Oct 25, 2017, Green Bay, WI, WBAY-TV, Proposed bill looks to give teachers more rights against violent students http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Proposed-bill-looks-to-give-teachers-more-rights-against-violent-students-453155113.html A proposed bill looks to protect Wisconsin teachers from student violence. A Fond Du Lac lawmaker and former teacher crafted the legislation, spurred by incidents across the state like at Green Bay's Washington Middle School. ... “Some of these teachers who have dealt with violent assault in school and have perhaps been out of school for a short or extended period of time, that's a traumatic thing to happen, some of them are afraid to go to work,” said Rep. Thiesfeldt. We've reported extensively about violence issues at Washington Middle School in Green Bay. Action 2 News reached out to the district for reaction to this proposal and received a statement: “Green Bay Area Public School District’s highest priority is student and staff safety. To that end we have invested significant resources in safety equipment (e.g., cameras, hand radios, etc.) and staff professional development in areas of non-violent crisis response, cultural competence and trauma informed care. To truly resolve student behaviors, we need to address root causes, which requires everyone being involved to address the underlying issues. We support and appreciate Governor Walker’s additional funding to make mental health services more available. Addressing concerns around student and staff safety requires a broader discussion and we have been engaging our community in conversations and are committed to ensuring all voices are heard.” - Green Bay Area Public School District The bill is only in its beginning stages but could soon go through a committee process.