Here are a few more features you need to know about from SB 11.

1. Major changes are required for the district’s MEOP (Multihazard Emergency Operations Plan).  Look to the Texas School Safety Center (TSSC) for much more information about this.

2. If the district fails to comply with requirements concerning the district’s security audit or MEOP, it may be required to hold a public hearing where public shaming will take place. 

The statute does not use the term “public shaming.” But the legislative intent is pretty obvious.

3. If the TSSC notifies TEA that the district has not submitted an MEOP, the Agency can appoint a conservator for the district.

Even more shame.

4. The law identifies the composition of the district’s School Safety and Security Committee. This committee will periodically make recommendations to the board and administrators.  This committee is subject to the Open Meetings Act, and shall meet at least once each semester and once during the summer.

Lots of committees and teams.

5. If the district receives a bomb threat or terroristic threat regarding a facility where students are present it “shall provide notification of the threat as soon as possible to the parent….of each student who is assigned to the campus or who regularly uses the facility.”

Notifying parents of a bomb threat “as soon as possible” could make a bad situation worse.  If parents are notified before, or simultaneously with, law enforcement there will be a mad rush of parents to the school.  This might impede the efforts of first responders.  We need some clarification of what ASAP means in this context.

6. The Commissioner will adopt rules in consultation with TSSC regarding procedures for emergencies, including “designating the number of mandatory school drills to be conducted each semester of the school year not to exceed eight drills.”

Eight each semester?  Seriously????

DAWG BONE: TALK TO LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS ABOUT THE MEANING OF “ASAP.”

Tomorrow: Final thoughts about SB 11