FAIRBORN, Ohio (WDTN) – Gov. Mike DeWine announced his plan to keep Ohio schools safe Friday. Education leaders welcome the initiative and said more work needs to be done to protect students and staff.
Superintendent of Fairborn City Schools Gene Lolli said the district is always looking to improve security.
“I think in our day and age, it’s essential that we have these things in place,” Lolli said.
Not only is the district updating the training they give to teachers and staff, the district is adding a new position. The Board of Education is set to approve the creation of a supervisor of safety and security role at its June 2 meeting.
“We’re very cognizant of what we can do,” Lolli said. “Can we get better, can we do better? Yep, that’s what we’re going to do with this new position.”
Gov. DeWine is trying to help Ohio schools by introducing steps to improve safety and security.
The plan includes behavioral threat assessment training for all Ohio educators, increasing the number of Ohio School Safety Center liaisons, investments in mental health resources, physical fortification of school buildings, and giving districts the choice to arm employees.
“What’s here is doable. we’ve made great progress, and we have more to do, and we have a moral obligation to do it,” DeWine said.
Lolli is asking lawmakers to follow through on DeWine’s plan.
“I think they need to take a hard look at what they can accomplish for our kids and staffs in our schools,” Lolli said.
Ohio Education Association Secretary-Treasurer Mark Hill said said DeWine’s steps are a good start, but they’d like to see more done about mental health in schools.
“When kids have trauma and tragedy in their families, so they have to wait for the day when the counselor is going to be there, that’s just not a situation that helps students,” Hill said. “I would say $675 million is enough, but I would say it’s maybe part of what I would characterize as a piecemeal effort toward actually making sure that our schools are a safe place.”
This isn’t the first time DeWine introduced steps to reduce gun violence. The governor announced a 17-point plan following the 2019 Oregon District mass shooting. State lawmakers took no action and the bill expired.