State Recommendations Released To Increase Safety In Schools

Lots of recommendations have been released to increase safety in Missouri K-12 schools. Paul Fennewald, a former FBI agent and state Homeland Security Director, says schools should be integrating mental health services. Their report says teachers and administrators are often pressed into serving as mental health caretakers when one is not available.

“We heard again and again that schools are struggling with figuring out how do we get these resources, and how do we get them to the people that really need them.”

Other recommendations include armed resource officers in every school and getting a state-level school safety center or coordinator to effectively communicate school safety related information.

The Missouri school safety task force says there is not better time for the state to make this a priority. To put that in perspective- Florida has spent 400 million dollars to address school safety initiatives. This year, the Missouri Legislature has budgeted only $300,000 dollars for school safety.