ArkLaTex leaders revisit school safety plans in light of Uvalde shooting

ARKLATEX (KSLA) - Keeping children safe at school is something leaders throughout the United States are taking an even closer look at to ensure plans are up to date.

On Tuesday, June 14, the Arkansas School Safety Commission met just days after Gov. Asa Hutchinson reinstated members to come up with new recommendations for school safety. This is in light of the Uvalde school shooting.

One of their new recommendations includes ensuring all campuses have an armed presence when staff and children are there. Currently, there are 460 school resource officers (SROs) in 223 districts in Arkansas. Twenty percent of school districts have an SRO on every campus.

The board has a goal to submit their recommendations to the governor by Aug. 1.

Over in Louisiana, Webster Parish schools Superintendent Johnny Rowland says the school board met to discuss what they want to see changed.

“I’ll be the first to admit sometimes school safety is not always the most convenient thing, but it’s the most important thing,” he said. “And after I told the board, the board unanimously informed me that they would definitely like to see uniformed security personnel in all of our schools.”

Rowland says right now they are working on a plan to make this happen.

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