The Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) has voted to form a new safety and security committee that will meet in private. FWISD seeks to improve safety for students, teachers, and staff with an entirely new safety and security committee, unlike one established by the district a few years ago.
FWISD Board of Trustees President Tobi Jackson says it will bring in security experts for specified roles if approved.
“It’s a special safety and security committee that will be conducted in private because it will be about our security and the security of this district,” Jackson told Fox 4 News. “It’s been in the works for a couple of months. Unfortunately, with recent events, we see a need to speed up the process. Other than that, I’d prefer not to discuss it because it is about security for not only our employees but our children.”
Plans are still vague, so Jackson was questioned whether the committee was considering arming teachers, staff, or third-party individuals. Fox 4 reported that a district spokesperson stated, “the plan’s particulars have not yet been determined.”
FWISD held a city council meeting earlier this month regarding the number of school resource officers (SROs) needed to secure students and staff. In addition, City Council had conversations with Fort Worth Police Department to determine how many officers were required and the projected cost.
Governor Greg Abbott has asked the Texas Education Agency to tell school districts to implement new safety measures. To gauge the preparedness of schools for an armed intruder, he has also mandated random safety inspections.
Though FWISD claims to have been planning to create this safety and security committee for a few months, the board moved the vote to Tuesday in order to move more quickly. Presumably, they intend to implement new practices before the start of the new school year.
