By Senator Tommy Williams and Senator John Whitmire
Every news alert about another mass shooting grabs all of us. The emotions tear us up when the shooting affects students. Every parent who sends a young child off to school in the morning expects their child to come home later in the day after taking another tiny step in their journey toward adulthood.
The horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December has jolted us into opening the discussion about school campus security and safety. Thats why we have proposed the Texas School District Security Act which would provide local school boards a way to protect their schools and their students. We consider this a huge step in addressing the security issue. Its not going to go away.
Simply put the Texas School District Security Act would provide a funding system for school districts to help secure campuses students and school personnel. The plan gives local school boards parents and taxpayers local control choice and options. They could use the funding for technology metal detectors video cameras and/or trained licensed and professional police officers.
Modeled after current law which allows municipalities to vote to adopt Crime Control Districts the legislation would do the following:
- Allow individual independent school districts to vote on and approve dedicated funding for enhanced school security measures.
- Allow for a dedicated sales tax (if available under the state cap) or a dedicated property tax specifically for enhanced security based on local school district voters. The revenue generated from a local option School District Security Fund would be separate from all other district funding.
- Provide transparency and accountability by requiring school districts to hold public hearings on what is to be included in the Texas School District Security Act. Costs will be spelled out and voters will know the estimated amount of the dedicated property or sales tax to cover those costs before holding an election on the issue. The proposal would include a tax cap.
- Require a review and renewal election of the Texas School District Security Act every 5 years.
- A repeal petition would allow a community to abolish the Texas School District Security Act before the next renewal election.
- The elected and accountable local school board also would serve as the board of the Texas School District Security Act.
- A constitutional amendment may be required to give school districts authority to fund the Texas School District Security Act.
Many Texas school districts are already stretched to the maximum but should be able to decide for themselves if they want to invest in increased dedicated safety protections - with plenty of built-in flexibility and safeguards.
Were not looking to build large bureaucracies or large police departments. These security measures will be designed to enforce public safety - not school discipline. We want to protect the campus environment which means keeping gangs weapons and drugs out of the schools. We will leave student discipline to school administrators.
Also we dont want school districts to create police forces with SWAT teams and armored trucks. We expect many school districts to partner with local law enforcement agencies and some may select to hire retired police officers or sheriff deputies.
Our colleague Rep. Dan Huberty R-Humble will advocate this plan in the Texas House of Representatives - not only as a parent but as a former school board president.
We believe this is a Texas solution which can save lives without sacrificing freedoms. The solutions wont infringe on our lawful right to bear arms. We believe our school communities are smart enough to figure out what works best for them.
However we cant have learning if teachers and students are worried about their safety. Their focus is on learning and thats the bottom line.
Senator Williams R-The Woodlands is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee; Senator Whitmire D-Houston is chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee and the dean of the 31-member Texas Senate.
