At a school safety discussion during the 2013 SXSWedu conference, panelists discussed what options local districts can consider to keep their campuses secure.
Safety has been at the forefront for school districts across the country since Dec. 14, 2012, when a gunman stepped in to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. and opened fire on students and staff.
State Rep. Jason Villalba, R–Dallas, explained that his first major piece of proposed legislation would create a school marshal program to provide training for some employees to use firearms and react during active shooter situations.
"If it could happen at Sandy Hook, it could happen in Groesbeck, Texas; it could happen in Round Rock, Texas," Villalba said. "We've got to be prepared for that kind of a crisis, and we've got to take necessary and drastic action to respond and be ready for it."
Barbara Beto, legislative action chairwoman for the Texas PTA, said mental health care is another concern, and despite scaled-back budgets statewide, parents want to see more counselors.
"I don't know how you fund more counselors, but the return on investment on that is much greater than something having to do with a piece of equipment. We've heard from all these tragedies that the parents tried to get help and they couldn't for one reason or another," Beto said, adding that providing more opportunities for parents to seek help and report potential problems should be a priority.
Panelists discussed how many districts across the country are re-evaluating their security policies on their own, including whether to allow their employees to carry concealed handguns. Beto said that when the current legislative session ends, she expects many districts in Texas will form citizen-based safety committees to determine what next steps are best for their communities.
Local districts revisit safety
In the Austin area, school safety has been a concern for districts including Round Rock and Austin.
At its Feb. 21 meeting, Round Rock ISD approved $160,000 for the design of new safety-related front entry modifications for 13 campuses in the district. On Jan. 17, the board had approved $910,000 to make the same modifications at 23 schools in the district.
The modifications will require people visiting campuses after the first class period begins to enter through the front office vestibule before proceeding into the main hallways. Visitors will be processed through an identification system that conducts a background check through the Texas Department of Public Safety.
AISD requires all school visitors to report to the campus's main office, present identification, wear visitor's badges and in some cases undergo criminal history background checks. AISD has also offered tips for parents on how to discuss tragedies such as school shootings with their children.
"Safety is our No. 1 priority," AISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said in a news release Dec. 14.
During the SXSW panel, Victoria Calder, director of the Texas School Safety Center, explained that uniform school safety standards established in Texas in 2007 are in place to provide guidance on prevention, mitigation, preparation, response and recovery.
"Texas is very strong as a state, compared to much of the country, as far as how our schools have addressed the comprehensive model for school safety," Calder said, noting that the standards also apply to out-of-school programs, summer school and field trips.
Additional reporting by Lyndsey Taylor.
