SCHOOL SAFETY DEBATE CONTINUES AFTER UVALDE SHOOTING
As the conversation over firearms escalates after last week’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Brenham ISD families want to know what additional steps the district will take to protect their students.
Brenham ISD says it is in the process of implementing new safety initiatives such as updating radio communications throughout the district, expanding its anonymous reporting system to include two-way communication in case of emergency, increased usage of drug dogs to detect contraband, and improved perimeter security at campuses. Some, however, are wondering if the district will increase the presence of officers at all campuses or allow licensed employees to carry handguns on school grounds.
John Deans, local gun rights advocate and owner of Deans Defensive Shooting, says there are hundreds of school districts in Texas that allow school staff members to be armed, and believes Brenham ISD should do the same or place a full-time officer at each elementary campus.
Deans led a proposal in 2013 to implement the Brenham Angel Guardian program in Brenham ISD to allow staff members to carry handguns. However, the plan was rejected by the school board 5-2, with opponents stating it would be too dangerous to arm school personnel. Instead, the board opted to earmark funding to hire off-duty police officers for campuses without School Resource Officers (SROs). Meanwhile, the Guardian program has been implemented in recent years in area school districts like Burton, Round Top-Carmine and Fayetteville.
According to Brenham ISD Communications Specialist Brooke Trahan, the district met with the Brenham Police Department in July 2021 and decided to add a fourth full-time SRO in place of contracting with off-duty officers. Trahan said the decision was made to “offer a more consistent coverage of the campuses”, as the off-duty officers were not always available due to scheduling conflicts or staffing shortages. The SROs are assigned to the high school and the junior high school as their base campuses, rotating through the other campuses in different increments.
Currently, the district utilizes safety procedures that include visitor management, anonymous threat and bully reporting, internet use monitoring and annual safety training for staff. The Brenham ISD Safe and Supportive School Team, which consists of school administrators, trustees, members of local public safety agencies, teachers and parents, meets regularly to review safety initiatives and determine the district’s safety needs. District officials also meet with external stakeholders to review and update emergency operations plans.
Staff will be able to train this summer with local public safety agencies in a School Safety for Critical Incidents training. The district also increased its budget recently for event security, allowing for security coverage at all sporting events and other extracurricular activities like school dances and tailgates.
Whichever initiatives the district pursues, Deans hopes they maximize the protection possible for students and teachers.
Brenham School Board President Natalie Lange said trustees have not met since the Uvalde shooting, but plan to do so next week to discuss both current safety measures and what will be changed for next year and beyond.