KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com | State Crackdown on School Safety Guidelines

State Crackdown on School Safety Guidelines

By Michael Stafford
Newswest 9

From tornados tearing up school buildings to deadly shootings on campus. Your child faces numerous dangers when that school bell rings.

Those potential dangers have the State cracking down on school districts not following strict safety guidelines.

We spoke with Attorney General Greg Abbot and E.C.I.S.D. Security officials about the mandates.  

Only by preparing ahead of time can a school district effectively prepare for the unthinkable..

Over the years, we've seen deadly scenes play out in real life on campuses across America.

But State Attorney General Greg Abbott is making sure the State is ready.

He's mandating that each district follows a strict set of safety guidelines.

"Well the school safety plan has to encompass all the differrent ways all children at school could be endangered.  Obviously, there are things like fires, tornados, strangers coming onto campus posing a physical harm to the student.  And schools need to be prepared for all of these and the different emergencies require different mechanisms," Abbott said.

Abbott tells Newswest Nine that any district not obeying all the guidelines by August could face a lawsuit.  

Peter Frankson heads up security for E.C.I.S.D. and the responsibility falls directly on his office.

He showed NewsWest 9 numerous state safety manuels he has to obey from first aid to a potential gunman on campus.

"We are very well prepared.  We constantly train so that every officer is on the same page for any major emergency type situation.  We also train with the city police department, the Department of Public Safety and the Sheriff's Department," Frankson said.

The reality is we're seeing school shooting situations occur with greater frequency including here in the state of Texas.  Parents and students need to understand these are very real situations," Abbott added. 

The State knows that half the battle is simply being prepared, and knowing what to do in an emergency.  That way, students, parents, teachers, and emergency officials can be more at ease, because everyone will know what to do and when to do it if danger every comes their way.