Did You Know? Laws help protect teachers

A. That R.S. 14:34.3 says battery of a school teacher is a battery committed without the consent of the victim when the offender has reasonable grounds to believe the victim is a school teacher acting in the performance of employment duties.
B. For purposes of this Section:
1. “School teacher” shall include any teacher or instructor, administrator, staff person, or employee of any public or private elementary, secondary, vocational-technical training, special, or postsecondary school or institution.  For purposes of this Section, “school teacher” shall also include any teacher aide and personnel employed by a city, parish, or other local public school board.
2. “School” means any public or nonpublic elementary, secondary, high school, vocational-technical school, college, special, or postsecondary school or institution, or university in this state.
3. “Student” means any person registered or enrolled at the school where the school teacher is employed.
C.   Whoever commits the crime of battery of a school teacher shall be punished as follows:
1. If the battery was committed by a student, upon conviction, the offender shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not less than 30 days nor more than one year.  At least 72 hours of the sentence imposed shall be imposed without benefit of suspension of sentence.
2. If the battery was committed by someone who is not a student, the offender shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not less than one year nor more than five years, or both.  
3. If the battery produces an injury that requires medical attention, the offender shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not less than one year nor more than five years,  or both.