Policy Implementation There are many steps taken to stop violence at Georgias schools and maintain a safe learning

environment for students, teachers, staff and administrators. According to Georgia school superintendents, Georgia schools are safe (Ballard Brady, !""#$ due to a systematic

and mandatory plan for implementing policy related to %B &!'. (egulations for school safety are mandated )y the *tate +epartment of ,ducation. Georgia school safety la-s cover the follo-ing issues. mandated school safety plans, )ullying/student code of conduct, -eapons n school safety 0ones, conflict resolution, cultural diversity, student discipline, loitering and etc. 1f %B &!' should )ecome la-, the follo-ing changes -ill take place -here Georgias current school safety 0one la-s are concerned. 2nder current la-s in Georgia, even though a person is a license holder he or she may not carry a -eapon in a school safety 0one. The )ill if it should )ecome la- -ill amend la-s regarding dangerous -eapons, pu)lic school disciplinary tri)unals, and change provisions relating to carrying -eapons -ithin certain school safety 0ones and at school functions. The la- seeks to change the current provisions that teachers and administrators cannot carry guns, )ut -ill allo- local school )oards the authority to appoint some licensed -eapons holders to carry a gun in a school safety 0one. %ouse Bill &!' -ill provide school 0ones -ith more fle3i)ility in handling violations in school safety 0ones. The )ill -ould also allo- teachers to carry -eapons if they are licensed, psychologically tested and are appointed )y the school +istrict to do so. 4urrent la-s regarding school safety 0ones -ould enforce the e3pulsion of children -ho -ere caught -ith a fishing knife or )ase)all )at, the ne- legislation -ould allo- schools districts the leniency to deal -ith students in these situations on a case )y case )asis (Bernarde, !"56$. (epresentative Tom (ice,

Georgia *tate (epresentative for +istrict 78 -rote in his legislative update that representatives spent long hours at the *tate 4apital to ensure that important pieces of legislation such as %B &!' -ere passed and ready to )e voted )y crossover day (Bernarde, !"56$. A dis9service that e3ist for Georgia families that are relevant to current la-s that pertain to -eapons in a school safety 0one is that students and families are left -ith little or no recourse for a student to continue their education in his or her current county )ecause of complete e3pulsion from the county school in -hich he or she resides. A great )enefit -ith the ne- and modified delivery system is that -ith passage of %B &!' a student carrying a -eapon innocently -ill allo- for the student -ho is caught -ith -eapons such as a fishing knife or )ase)all )at to remain in school and not )e e3pelled from the school system )eyond the current school :uarter or semester or may )e given educational instructions in an alternative school setting and -ill not receive a felony that scars their record (Georgia Assem)ly %ome ;age, !"56$. Again another disadvantage is that current la-s fine a licensed firearm holder a ma3imum of <5",""" or imprisonment of 895" years or )oth if they are caught carrying a -eapon in a school safety 0one, -hereas the )enefit of the ne- legislation if passed -ill )e prima9facie evidence (Georgia Assem)ly %omepage, !"56$ and -ill no- )e fined only <5"."" if he or she produces in court his or her -eapons carry license -ith provisions that it -as valid during the time of his or her arrest or produces proof of his or her e3emption. *chools -ill continue to utili0e the same delivery systems in the event that %B &!' )ecomes la- in Georgia. *chools -ill continue to use current or similar methods associated -ith violations of -eapons in school safety 0ones. %ouse Bill &!' state that the follo-ing modified service delivery is carried out -here a student has )een guilty of )ringing a -eapon to a school safety 0one -ithout the intent to harm.

The student shall not )e e3pelled for a period of more than one year. provided, ho-ever, that a hearing officer, tri)unal, panel, administrator, superintendent, or local )oard of shall have the authority to modify such e3pulsion re:uirement on a case )y (Georgia general assem)ly, !"56$. *ince the )ill has not yet )ecome la- in Georgia, fiscal )udgets and financing do not yet e3ist for this )ill. To shed some light on the state of school safety funding it should )e noted that armed security officers in schools have -ide9spread support and provide defense on its front lines )ut adding officers to more of Georgia schools could )e costly (Atlanta =ournal 4onstitution, !"5>$. (ep Brooks 4oleman of +uluth )elieves that )y adding more resource officers at schools there -ould )e a knee ?erk reaction )ecause pu)lic schools in Georgia currently receive a)out <# )illion in state funding during each of the past t-o fiscal years and e3pect that same level to )e maintained. @rom this information it can )e reasona)ly concluded that current funding may not )e ade:uate to increase funding for school safety should the )ill )ecome la-. education case )asis