SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES DISTRICT POLICE FORCE, IN HOUSE BUS SYSTEM
The Brenham School District will soon have a new police force and a new in house bus transportation system thanks to the School Board. At a lengthy meeting at noon Monday, the School Board voted in favor of both items. The board heard from Clay Gillentine, the Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services about moving the transportation services in house. He said that the current contact with Durham School Transportation ends at the end of July. He said that currently, the school system pays Durham Transportation 2.7 million this year and next year will pay Durham 3.7 million. He said the school district could do a lease to buy of the 42 school buses involved and offer the drivers a pay increase to $22 to $25 per hour, and still come out for less than is costs to pay Durham for the service. That would include supervisory staff and maintenance. Trustee Tommie Sullivan, who was a bus driver when the School District went to a private company in the late 1980’s, said the School Board voted because of the headaches involved. Trustee Susan Jenkins asked about liability insurance. Clay Gillentine replied that it is not included in the numbers, but it will have a minimal difference. The School District currently only owns 7 buses that Durham operates. The board voted unanimously in favor of the item.
The board also voted in favor of the establishment of a school district police department. Trustee Kelvin Raven took himself out of the discussion and voting because he is currently an officer with the Brenham Police Department. Jay Huffty, the Director of Safety and Security for the district, said currently the ECLC and the Elementary Schools have an SRO less than 50 percent of the time. He said that other than the $300,000 startup costs, the district could cover the Elementary Schools and ECLC 100 percent of the time for the amount in the budget. He said he started getting approvals last month for the department and estimated it will be ready to go by the start of the school year. Another reason to do this now is HB 3 and the current legislative session. HB 3 requires an armed individual be on each campus. Superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin said it is too early in the legislative session to tell what will pass, but he felt HB 3 will pass in some form. Trustee Tommie Sullivan question whether the board is going too far and will have trouble taking care of teachers next fall. Trustee Susan Jenkins said that while she was not personally opposed to the formation, she felt that the school board needed more information on the subject. The board voted 3 to 2 in favor of establishing a district police force, with Jared Krenek, Dr. Michael Altman, and Natalie Lange in favor and Tommie Sullivan and Susan Jenkins voting against.
I guess my question is how much you are going to raise taxes to pay for the busing. The security is not a problem.
So lets see what they tell us. Remember elections are important.
I was very disturbed to learn that our elementary and early ed only have police presence “less than 50% of the time”. I have a child at a Brenham elementary school and see police presence at drop off and pick up most days. So, does this mean they are being left at the most vulnerable time of the day, when they are in class? These children deserve protection all day every day. It is great that the Texas legislation in passing a bill to require 100% police presence but as a district we should be acting now. How is it that Austin can de-fund their police and as taxpayers we have to pay for state police to go in and help them, but we can’t get help for our own children. This is a sickening example of politics gone wrong. Our children should not be put on the back burner! I understand our Brenham Police Department and Sheriff’s Department have their limitations, but can’t we ask for help too? I have been to school board meetings where ex-military & retired police have offered to guard our schools. Why aren’t we utilizing them? We can easily do background checks on people to make sure they are stable and qualified. I’m sure the school district already has a background check program so it would cost nothing. I am genuinely trying to come up with solutions so if anyone has suggestions for who to write to or speak with, please comment. There have been 13 school shootings so far in 2023. Something must be done. If anyone wants to talk gun control save it for another post. The reason schools are targeted is because they are soft targets. Gun wheedling maniacs don’t walk into police stations because they are cowards, they shoot children and unarmed educators. I hope the school board, police department and local politicians read this. We need your help.
I agree let’s get veterans and retired officers to help they are already trained and it would help out law enforcement. I did not know either that they aren’t at brenham elementary all day. They make it look like they are there all day, that’s very frustrating to hear. We need to do better for our kids. They should not be scared to go to school .
Time to get the drugs out of the schools now.
xD Yes! Drugs are what is breaking into the schools and shooting children! I saw eight seven year olds last week strung out on opioids! Forget active shooters and bad guys! let’s go after something the kids choose to do themselves! Drugs are bad mmmmmkay!!! xD
Yes I agree, drugs are in the schools and coming into the schools and it should be taken care of. Just as much as the active shooters, that CANNOT be forgotten. The ones that go into the elementary school, the middle school, and high school, taking out whatever is going with them on our children. Why shoot innocent children. I have grandchildren in high school and elementary school, I worry about them every day. I just pray to God that nothing happens to them. That nothing happens to any of the children ,teachers or anyone in that school. I think more security needs to be put at doors that anybody can get into. I think they should have to show their ID, and state Why they are there. Don’t let them just come in, or shooting in the doors. There needs to be someone at the door. This also needs to be taken care of.
Minimal difference? I’m sure the insurance carrier for Brenham ISD will be glad to quote the cost of bringing the transportation department will be glad to tell you exactly what they are going to charge for not only liability insurance but also workers’ compensation for the drivers and bus attendants, not to mention bus maintenance personnel. How about some actual numbers besides a guess of “minimal difference” . How much has it cost BISD for bringing custodial services back in house? If it’s a good idea, let’s see some numbers! Same goes for an in-house police department. Just what exactly are $300k start up costs going to buy? 11 police cruisers, firearms, uniforms and support staff, and a building to house the police department? Is BISD going to hire a police chief for minimum wage?
It looks lik once again, the joke is in the good old taxpayer!
Thank you Farben for pointing out the details that they failed to mention. Seems this school board just makes one bad decision following another. They have never showed ANY ACCOUNTING figures to back up their decisions. Just things like “minimal difference” is what they give us. Which means PAY fir it and don’t ask any more questions.
“An armed individual be on each campus.” So, there aren’t veterans in the community who could have been trained and relied upon for this? Was the Guardian program even an option for those individuals who may have qualified and could have been trained? Sad.
Thank you to those on the school board who voted IN FAVOR OF EXTRA PROTECTION OF OUR BABIES! As to those who didn’t…WHY? What do you mean “you need more information on the subject before deciding?” Have you not seen the news?