Portland School district policy provides (1) “No domesticated animals, including dogs, cats, primates, birds, or livestock shall be allowed in school buildings or on grounds while school is in session…” and (2) No animals will be allowed free range in the facility or grounds.

Dogs running freely without a leash is certainly against the law. The risk to students with parents bringing dogs to school is great. Most dog owners can’t appreciate the risk and most believe that their dog would never bite anyone - that is until it actually happens.

Dogs bite children and students frequently at school because pickup and drop off times are so chaotic.

In Oregon, day care facilities must be licensed to be able to conduct business. And though daycare employees must be trained it is possible for injuries to happen to children while at day care.

When this happens it can raise a host of issues the first being is the facility or home licensed. A second issue when a child is hurt is whether there was adequate supervision and finally how timely was post injury follow up made.

I have experience with day care and school claims and its rather critical to get a prompt investigation undertaken by the state right away.

School bus injuries to students are unique and its often the case that the parents pip policy will step up to cover the immediate payment of medical bills and any claim against the school for bad driving.

While as of today no laws mandate bus seat belts they are indeed required in the form of lap belts on the smaller 5 ton buses. The bus lap belt rules is soon to be broadened as the US government will require full lap and seat belts on the smaller buses but not until 2011.

However the new law also won’t require belt in the regular sized school buses as the thinking is the higher seat provide safety and could force some student into areas of the bus which would be even more dangerous.