Section 280.26 - Intervention in altercations1. An employee of a public school district, accredited nonpublic school, or area education agency may intervene in a fight or physical struggle occurring among students or between students and nonstudents that takes place in the presence of the school employee in a school building, on school premises, or at any school function or school-sponsored activity regardless of its location. The degree and force of the intervention may be as reasonably necessary, in the opinion of the school employee, to restore order and protect the safety of the individuals involved in the altercation and others in the vicinity of the altercation.2. A person who is not an employee of a public school district, accredited nonpublic school, or area education agency may intervene in a fight or physical struggle occurring among students, or between students and nonstudents, that takes place in the presence of the nonemployee in a school building, on school premises, or at any school function or school-sponsored activity regardless of its location. The intervention may occur in the absence of an employee of a public school district, accredited nonpublic school, or area education agency, or at the request of such an employee, utilizing the degree and force of intervention reasonably necessary to restore order and protect the safety of the individuals involved in the altercation and others in the vicinity of the altercation. However, a person who intervenes in the absence of an employee of a public school district, accredited nonpublic school, or area education agency shall report the intervention and all relevant information regarding the situation as soon as reasonably possible to such an employee.3. An employee of a public school district, accredited nonpublic school, or area education agency who intervenes in a fight or physical struggle pursuant to subsection 1 shall be awarded reasonable monetary damages against a party bringing a civil action alleging a violation of this section, if it is determined in the action that the employee has been wrongfully accused. A nonemployee of a public school district, accredited nonpublic school, or area education agency who intervenes in a fight or physical struggle pursuant to subsection 2 shall be limited to the recovery of reasonable attorney fees and court costs, if it is determined in a civil action alleging a violation of this section that the nonemployee has been wrongfully accused.98 Acts, ch 1195, §2; 2018 Acts, ch 1057, §11
Amended by 2018 Iowa, ch 1057, s 11, eff. 7/1/2018.