http://mycn2.com/politics/kentucky-needs-task-force-to-delve-deeper-into-school-safety-panel-s-chairman-says

Publication Date: January 30, 2013

Author: Jacqueline Pitts

Kentucky needs task force to delve deeper into school safety, panel's chairman says

01/30/2013 07:04 PM

The chairman of the committee looking into school security in Kentucky wants to create a task force involving school officials, parents and others to “look deeper” into what type of funding, equipment and procedures are needed to keep students safe.

Representative Richard Henderson, D- Montgomery County, chairs the House Special Subcommittee on School Safety, which met Wednesday for the third time since House leaders created it earlier this month.

Henderson already has filed a bill to make the subcommittee permanent. But he said he said his second step will be to make sure a group of stake holders come together to recommend more long-term changes.

Henderson said he expects to hold one more hearing of the special subcommittee this winter in which Education Commissioner Terry Holliday will testify.

School representatives on Wednesday continued to make the case to state lawmakers that having better security plans is key to keeping students safe.

State education officials told the House Special Subcommittee on School Safety that every school should have an emergency plan for armed intruders that keeps students in their classrooms.

Rep. Keith Hall, D-Phelps, said he looks forward to a more open discussion about possible safety measures. This comes after Hall said he wanted to see school officials who are trained to carry firearms be able to bring them into schools earlier this month at the committee’s first meeting.

Jacqueline Pitts

Jacqueline Pitts joined the cn|2 political team in June 2012. A graduate of WKU, Jacqueline grew up in Nashville, TN and is looking forward to having a front row seat to Kentucky politics. Follow Jacqueline on Twitter @Jacqueline_cn2. She can be reached at 502-792-1114 or jacqueline.pitts@twcable.com.

Comments

  • Len wrote on January 31, 2013 11:29 AM :

    Rep. Hall and others who hold his position “to see school officials who are trained to carry firearms be able to bring them into schools” is a more commonsense approach for two or three good reason:

    One, it provides a greater amount of security and safety measure that would already be in place as compared with merely a school resource officer (RSO) in place, which didn’t seem to work with the Paducah school shooting some years ago when they already had a RSO.

    Two, the school officials are already funded (paid) with exception to providing extra funds for any equipment and training, along with some bonus for additional firearm training responsibility as opposed to trying to fund a RSO or two in every school throughout the 120 counties in Ky.

    Third, the Ky. budget for this security need, needs to be handle with a commonsense approach that fits a commonsense security and safety measure for these schools, which Rep. Hall’s proposal is more realistic for the budget, not a measure that will add to further budget bankruptcy of having to come up with 36 million or more to increase RSO’s in about every school in 120 counties in Ky., in my humble opinion.

  • Len wrote on January 31, 2013 11:34 AM :

    Rep. Hall and others who hold his position “to see school officials who are trained to carry firearms be able to bring them into schools” is a more commonsense approach for two or three good reason:

    One, it provides a greater amount of security and safety measure that would already be in place as compared with merely a school resource officer (RSO) in place, which didn’t seem to work with the Paducah school shooting some years ago when they already had a RSO.

    Two, the school officials are already funded (paid) with exception to providing extra funds for any equipment and training, along with some bonus for additional firearm training responsibility as opposed to trying to fund a RSO or two in every school throughout the 120 counties in Ky.

    Third, the Ky. budget for this security need, needs to be handle with a commonsense approach that fits a commonsense security and safety measure for these schools, which Rep. Hall’s proposal is more realistic for the budget, not a measure that will add to further budget bankruptcy of having to come up with 36 million or more to increase RSO’s in about every school in 120 counties in Ky., in my humble opinion.

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