Gov. Greg Abbott wants the Texas Education Agency to create a chief of school safety to oversee security efforts in the wake of the Uvalde massacre.
This person should be a school security expert who can be a resource to both districts and the Legislature, Abbott said, as well as someone who can implement safety programs.
Whoever is chosen as the state’s Chief of School Safety and Security will report to the education commissioner, with a direct line to the governor’s office, Abbott wrote in a Thursday letter to Commissioner Mike Morath.
“The Chief must ensure that Texas schools are implementing the school safety policies passed by the legislature and take every action possible to ensure that schools are using best practices to safeguard against school shootings or other dangers,” Abbott wrote.
In the days since a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary, the governor has issued several requests, including that state leaders work on “hardening” campuses and improving security. Less focus has been on any push for gun control measures — though he did include “firearm safety” in a list of issues for lawmakers to examine in special committees.
Abbott has also asked that state officials drop onto campuses unannounced for random safety checks, conduct weekly checks of exterior doors to ensure they are secure and carry out more active-shooter training.
The Texas Education Agency should also encourage administrators to increase the presence of trained law enforcement officers and school marshals — district employees who can carry firearms in classrooms — on campuses, Abbott has said.
____
