Virginia legislators seem determined to decriminalize disorderly conduct in schools, including disruptions intended to incite violence! In my posts on December 8th and 16th, I explained House Bill 8. This bill proposed decriminalizing disorderly conduct by any person in a school, on school property, or at any school sponsored event.
House Bill 8 has been substituted with another bill, now House Bill 256. Of my three serious concerns about this bill, the two most critical are still incorporated in House Bill 256.
The replacement Bill 256 has only one improvement from the original House Bill 8, which removed all schools from legal protection against disruption and inciting violence by ANY PERSON, not just students.
The substitute bill, House Bill 256, simply states the disorderly conduct laws “shall not apply to any student at any elementary or secondary school if the disorderly conduct occurred on school property, on a school bus, or at any activity conducted or sponsored by any school.“
Changing the disorderly conduct law will not solve the problem for these children who need guidance.
Our schools must wait until a person is injured or school property damaged before school officials can call the police for help.
House Bill 256 passed the House and has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Please call and email the members of this committee. Ask they do not pass House Bill 256.
Share with your friends, especially those with children or grandchildren in a Virginia public or private school.
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