ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A survey by the American Psychological Association finds that threats and physical attacks by students in school are on the rise.
About one third of teachers reported being harassed or threatened by students.
Now some Maryland legislators want to add a layer of legal protection for teachers who too frequently have to break up fights, or get physical to protect themselves.
"You really can't tell a teacher not to get involved, but it's unfair to expect them to take on that kind of legal risk. We should be protected when we're trying to really protect our kids," said Baltimore teacher Franca Mullin-Paz told legislators during a hearing on a proposed law to shield teachers from liability.
Maryland House Bill 137 seeks to protect teachers trying to break up fights or other disruptions from any civil liability for property damage or personal injury as long as they act in good faith and are not being negligent.
An earlier version of the bill failed in 2020.
Mullin-Paz says she’s active in her union and the issue has come up with co-workers.
“I often have to tell teachers the sad truth that if the observer fight that they are not protected if they tried to intervene, therefore they shouldn't get involved because there could they will have no legal protections," Mullin-Paz testified
Teachers can be sued and found negligent, according to a Maryland Court of Appeals ruling in 2021, which said school systems can be forced to pay damages if they fail to adequately protect kids.
But that decision also noted that individual teachers can be protected from liability by a federal law.
Passing a law in Maryland would add an additional layer of protection, according to supporters of House Bill 137.
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