NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1969 SESSION

CHAPTER 638

HOUSE BILL 882

AN ACT ADDING A NEW ARTICLE 18B TO CHAPTER 115 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES TO DEFINE THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE STUDENT TEACHER IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TO AMEND G.S. 115-146 TO GRANT STUDENT TEACHERS LAWFUL AUTHORITY WHEN THEY ARE GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME PART OF THE SCHOOL PROGRAM.

WHEREAS, the program of teacher preparation in North Carolina is designed to promote the continued development and improvement of teachers; and

WHEREAS, student teaching is recognized as a significant part of the total preparation;

Now, therefore, The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1.  A new article, to be designated as Article 18B and entitled "Student Teachers," shall be inserted in Chapter 115 of the General Statutes immediately after Article 18 and shall read as follows:

"18B. Student Teachers."

"Sec. 115-160.5.  Student Teacher and Student Teaching Defined. A student teacher is any student enrolled in an institution of higher education approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of teachers who is jointly assigned by that institution and a county or city board of education to student-teach under the direction and supervision of a regularly employed certified teacher.

Student teaching may include those duties granted to a teacher by G.S. 115-146 and any other part of the school program for which either the supervising teacher or the principal is responsible.

"Sec. 115-160.6.  Legal Protection. A student teacher under the supervision of a certified teacher or principal shall have the protection of the laws accorded the certified teacher.

"Sec. 115-160.7.  Assignment of Duties. It shall be the responsibility of a supervising teacher, in cooperation with the principal and the representative of the teacher preparation institution, to assign to the student teacher responsibilities and duties that will provide adequate preparation for teaching.

Sec. 2.  G.S. 115-146 is hereby amended by inserting in line 2 immediately following the word "teachers" the following:

", including student teachers when given authority over some part of the school program by the principal or supervising teacher,".

Sec. 3.  G.S. 115-146 is hereby amended by rewriting the first sentence of the second paragraph as follows:

"Principals, teachers, and student teachers in the public schools of this State may use reasonable force in the exercise of lawful authority to restrain or correct pupils and maintain order."

Sec. 4.  All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 5.  This Act shall be in full force and effect upon its ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 28th day of May, 1969.