| Dear Friends,
Central Arkansas families deserve to know that their kids are safe and secure at school, especially in light of the recent horrible tragedy in Parkland, Florida. As a father of a current high school and college student, this issue hits close to home.
I have listened to students, families, schools, and organizations in central Arkansas on matters regarding school safety, and I'm working with my colleagues in Congress and local schools to implement measures that will help save innocent lives.
No parent, teacher, or child should ever fear for their safety at school. It makes no sense that we protect our airports, homes, and businesses, but don’t adequately protect our own kids at school.
We took action in the House this week by passing the STOP School Violence Act. This bill dedicates $75 million to strengthening protocols, training, and other vital components of school security. This includes training students, teachers, school officials, and local law enforcement how to identify and intervene early when signs of violence arise, creates a coordinated reporting system, and implements FBI and Secret Service-based school threat assessment protocols to prevent school shootings before they happen.
This is just a first step to enhance the safety of our students, parents, teachers, and others.
This past month, I joined the Arkansas Congressional Delegation in a meeting with Governor Asa Hutchinson to discuss ways to make our schools safer. In 2015, Arkansas passed legislation to enable Arkansas schools to improve security by certifying personnel to be licensed as a commissioned school security officer. Nineteen schools, including three in central Arkansas, have taken advantage of this program.
This past week, Arkansas Congressman Bruce Westerman and I met with White House Domestic Policy Council staff at the White House to discuss this program, and other suggestions, in preparation for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ upcoming school security commission.
Little Rock School District Superintendent Michael Poore and I have discussed best practices and how we can work together to strengthen the safety and security of Arkansas schools, so students and teachers feel safe and secure.
How local control of schools to address the different needs of urban and rural schools and how to better address mental health care in our schools were the topic of discussion when I met with Melinda Kinnison (below right) and Amberly Hayes (below left) with the Arkansas Parent Teacher Association earlier this week.
Moreover, our mental health care system is in need of significant reforms. As a part of the 21st Century Cures Act, which I supported and which is now law, the House passed a mental health reform bill that included many key provisions to improve the design of and access to treatment programs. This legislation is already addressing our seriously outdated mental health care system by refocusing and retooling mental health programs, clarifying privacy laws to ensure health care professionals can communicate with caregivers and addressing the shortages in our mental health workforce and treatment facilities to ensure patients have access to the services they need.
Far too many Americans—about one in five—are suffering from some form of mental illness, a problem that has disrupted families, caused violence and pain, and cost too many lives.
With the increased concern about school safety in the wake of recent events around the nation, Governor Asa Hutchinson issued an executive order on March 1, 2018, that created the Arkansas School Safety Commission. I met with Dr. Cheryl P. May (below right), who was appointed as the Director of this important commission, on her views to help prevent future attacks on innocent students and teachers in our schools. In her role as Director of the University of Arkansas's Criminal Justice Institute, Dr. May leads training in school security strategies.
After many meetings over the past few weeks, it is clear that increased mental health awareness and treatment coupled with smarter school safety tactics are solutions that will help ensure students, parents, and teachers are in a secure and safe environment for learning. I look forward to continuing this discussion and finding ways to increase school safety and security throughout the country.
It is a privilege to share these updates with you. Thank you for taking time to keep up with the work I'm doing on your behalf.
Sincerely,
Representative French Hill |
