Recent events have, yet again, propelled us into another conversation about the safety of our children when we send them to school.
No parent should be worried about their child coming home when they wave goodbye to them on the school bus or when they pull out of the driveway.
In light of this, I once again feel compelled to address it.
As of April 11, there had been 377 school shootings across the country since 1999. Last year, there were more school shootings than any other year with 46 shootings where our children learn. No community is immune to a tragedy like this occurring in their neighborhood.
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Communities across the nation, many like those right here in Stark County, have experienced this firsthand. We know and recognize that change is needed, but we continue to find ourselves asking the same question, how?
How do we achieve a goal as essential as school safety with such a great sense of urgency? This is a goal that requires us to work together, as a community, one step at a time. We owe it to our children to consider every possible solution to prevent the next tragedy.
In September, House Bill 99 went into effect allowing school boards in Ohio to choose to arm school staff. I am not here to determine whether schools should or shouldn’t do this, but I will ensure that if our superintendents determine this is the best option for their districts, my office will be here to offer training and education at no cost.
An issue as pivotal as school safety is not solved with a single measure. Only when we utilize multiple resources and seek continuous education and training will we achieve safer schools.
I can assure you that here in Stark County we continue to be hard at work in partnership with the Educational Service Center, superintendents, and members of the community to bolster our detection, and most importantly, our prevention of a school-related incident in our communities.
I will continue to commend the men and women working as school resource officers across districts here in Stark County. I believe placing SROs in our schools is still one of the best measures we can deploy to protect our kids while they are learning.
Our SROs receive ongoing training on best practices designed to keep our children safe. The Stark County Sheriff’s Office hosts several monthly meetings to bring SROs from all agencies in the county together so that we can lean on and learn from one another in this shared commitment.
My wish is that we never have to respond to an incident locally, but it’s more than just a wish; it is training, education, collaboration, and preparation.
The U.S. Secret Service’s National School Threat Assessment Model, which I am proud to say the Stark County Sheriff’s Office had the opportunity to contribute to, offers training to law enforcement officials statewide. The model indicates that school violence is most preventable when communities identify warning signs and intervene.
Our students continue to be best positioned to identify and report concerning behaviors displayed by their classmates. A variety of resources are now provided to help them communicate with trusted adults so that they can, however, there is no way law enforcement and schools can encourage these behaviors on their own. It takes a community to keep communities safe and we need families to join us in all efforts to do so.
Parents and caregivers, I am calling on you to help us. Do you consistently talk to your kids about speaking up? Do you encourage them to be alert and to report suspicious activity?
By reminding them regularly, you are not only helping to protect them, but others as well. Their voice could quite literally save lives.
Talk to your children about what constitutes suspicious behavior, such as alarming social media posts, comments made in the hall, or strange behavior. And, most importantly, encourage them to speak up and tell a trusted adult.
Let them know that this is OK and that they are doing the right thing. What you say matters much more than you may think. Additionally, if you do exercise your Second Amendment right, which I support, please be responsible. Secure your firearms properly and talk to your kids about the danger they pose.
We all have a responsibility to invest in the safety of our schools and our kids. They are worth it. We only achieve this goal, however, when we work together.
We may not be able to change what is happening across the country, but we can lead the way in our own communities with a priority to keep Stark County safe.
George T. Maier is Stark County sheriff.
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