Area superintendents have plenty to say on Abbott’s school security checks
With the Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent order instructing state school security and education officials to conduct unannounced campus safety audits, area districts are voicing their opinions on just how effective they think the process may be.
Abbott’s mandate was one of several the governor laid out in a letter to school security authorities in an effort to ensure district emergency operations plans are solid and school buildings are protected. They are part of his response to the May 24 shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead at school in Uvalde, Texas.
In his letter to Texas School Safety Center director Kathy Martinez-prather on Wednesday, Abbott said the tragedy in Uvalde demands more action.
“The State must work beyond writing words on paper and ensuring that the laws are being followed; it must also ensure that a cul- ture of constant vigilance is engrained in every campus and in every school district employee across the state,” he said.
To get an idea of where local educators stand on the issue, the Texarkana Gazette reached out to a few school districts for comment. Five superintendents shared their thoughts. Here are their full comments: Superintendent Dr. Doug Brubaker, Texarkana ISD
“We are reviewing the governor’s statement and will be reassessing our safety protocols to ensure TISD is doing everything we can to protect our students and staff. Safety is our number one priority and is an important part of our Imagine 2026 strategic plan.”
Superintendent Ronnie Thompson, Liberty-eylau ISD “It’s unfortunate that in today’s times that we have to take into account the possibilities of armed intruders gaining access to our schools where we are charged with educating our most precious resources. Governor Abbott’s safety comments related to unannounced random intruder detection audits are part of our current safety plan. Like most districts, we are currently revisiting our safety plan in order to shore up any weak areas. We may need to increase the number of unannounced random intruder detections to strengthen our current safety plan. “Superintendent Chad Pirtle, Pleasant Grove ISD
“This is a safety measure that is not uncommon and we already had plans to implement this measure during the next school year. What this will do is bring awareness to our staff in regards to making sure people who are on our campuses are supposed to be on our campus. “
Superintendent Dr. Kelly Burns, Redwater ISD
“Governor Abbott’s instruction that the Texas School Safety Center begin
immediately conducting comprehensive school safety reviews may be putting the cart before the horse at this point. What he and the Texas Education Agency need to determine first and foremost is how to increase the school safety funding. As it stands right now, school safety allocation in Texas is about $10 per student. We spend an estimated $90 million every year in Texas to test students. With an estimated 5.3 million students, Texas spends almost double on testing vs. school safety. Our Texas leadership should be charged to call for a special legislative session and not waste any more time or allow the state to lose one more student to school shootings versus forming committees and having unannounced, random intruder detection audits.
“Texas schools are currently required to do ten assorted drills per year on each campus, none of which are truly specific to an active shooter drill. Additionally, school district safety and security audits are required by Texas Education Code 37.018 every three years. At Redwater ISD, we choose to also incorporate ALICE drills, which is a federally endorsed safety protocol where staff and students are trained in different options for responding to a school intruder who is intent on doing harm. We are also part of the Texas School Guardian Program where select staff go through mental evaluation along with live fire qualification and simulation training in an effort to deal with safety steps to help stop an active shooter prior to the arrival of law enforcement. As you can see, there are numerous trainings and programs schools have to assist in their efforts for school safety. However, what is most needed are funds to continue not only those efforts but to also add in more security enhancements for campuses, I believe the allocation of state funds can be restructured in an effort to keep our children safe.
Superintendent Dr. Chris Galloway, Dekalb ISD
“I do not feel that it is an effective response. It’s a reactive response. A proactive response would be to properly provide funding to enhance school safety.
“Dekalb ISD has an Emergency Operations Procedures Plan. We have a full-time police officer employed by our district and as a guardian district we have select staff who are armed and specially trained. Any unauthorized person on our campuses will be properly detained as an intruder. That is our procedure and it will not change with the Governor’s new plan.”