In wake of Uvalde, TEA hires school safety chief
“I am honored to join the Texas Education Agency in this capacity. I plan to work closely with partner agencies and school systems … to keep our students and staff safe.”
John P. Scott
AUSTIN — A U.S. Secret Service agent from Dallas will become the first school safety chief at the Texas Education Agency, a position created in response to the Uvalde mass shooting to coordinate efforts across the multitude of state agencies with a responsibility for school security.
John P. Scott was most recently a special agent in charge with the Secret Service based in Dallas.
Scott’s previous jobs with the service, which is responsible both for the protection of governmental leaders and for investigating certain financial crimes, include serving on a North Texas cyber fraud task force and working with protection teams in Texas and in Washington.
“Protecting Texas children and making our schools safer for all are top priorities, and John Scott is uniquely qualified to help lead our efforts ensuring their safety and security in Texas schools,” Gov. Greg Abbott wrote in a statement. “Chief Scott’s wealth of experience in security and intelligence and exemplary service to our nation make him the perfect fit as the new Chief of School Safety and Security. I look forward to working with Chief Scott as we continue increasing our strong collaboration and communication among state agencies to provide a safe and secure environment for every Texas student, parent, teacher, and school faculty member.”
A spokesman for TEA said Scott’s salary was not immediately available. That information is public record, and Hearst Newspapers filed a request for it under the state’s Public Information Act.
Scott will report to the commissioner of TEA, Mike Morath. The news release announcing his hiring describes him as the new “single point of contact” for all state agencies on issues of school security, including TEA, the Texas School Safety Center, the Department of Public Safety and the Health and Human Services Commission, as well as various law enforcement groups and the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium.
Scott also will “have a direct line to the Office of the Governor to ensure increased communication and collaboration among state agencies,” the release states.
“I am honored to join the Texas Education Agency in this capacity,” Scott said in a statement. “I plan to work closely with partner agencies and school systems across the state to keep our students and staff safe.”