Texas has some safety requirements for public schools — but leaves most particulars up to education officials. | via TexasTribune
An elementary school in San Antonio in 2018. A lot of details about school safety measures in Texas are largely left up to more than 1,200 public school districts and charter schools, though the state does require certain planning and emergency drills.
Teachers and school staff can carry a gun under a state-run school marshals program, which is overseen by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and requires 80 hours of training. Another 2021 state law now allows school marshals to carry concealed guns around students instead of storing them in lockers.
The Texas School Safety Center, a research center at Texas State University, was created after the 1999 Columbine school shooting and was tasked by the Legislature in 2001 with collecting and distributing school safety information, Martinez-Prather said. The center assesses school safety and provides research and free training.
Districts’ plans and audits are not made publicly available, but schools should provide a summary, according to TASB. The behavioral threat assessment teams, designated by school boards, help identify immediate threats, but Martinez-Prather said they should also work on prevention. Schools can also employ or contract with security officers not licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, but they may be required to be registered and verified by the Texas School Safety Center.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Just after Texas shooting, California Senate passes Texas-style bill targeting assault weapons, ghost gunsState lawmakers reacted to the Texas shooting during a debate over a measure allowing...
Read more »
Texas School Shooting Live Updates: Death toll climbs to 15, Texas governor saysAuthorities are responding to reports of a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Follow for the latest.
Read more »
Texas election results: Bush-Paxton, DFW races for Congress, Texas HouseWho won the Democratic and Republican primary runoffs for attorney general, lieutenant governor, Congress, the Texas House and more?
Read more »
How Texas officials and voting groups are trying to limit mail ballot rejectionsAfter thousands of mail-in ballots were rejected in Texas' statewide primaries in March, election officials and voting groups are stepping up efforts to make sure voters don't run into the same problems with ballot rejections going forward. | via NPR
Read more »
Shooter reported at Texas elementary school in custody, police say; 'several' students in ER'Several' students were treated at a nearby hospital's emergency room following the apparent attack in Uvalde, Texas.
Read more »
Uvalde, Texas elementary school locked down amid report of active shooter on campusStudents at the school located about 97 miles west of San Antonio were directed to a nearby civic center to reunite them with parents.
Read more »