SAFETY AND SECURITY
This chapter examines the Cedar Hill Independent School District (CHISD) safety and security functions in the following areas:
One of the most critical issues facing school districts is the need to provide safe and secure schools. Children have a fundamental right to be free from harm as they learn. Teachers and other school employees deserve to know that they can count on a safe environment and prepare children for the future. All members of the community, administrators, teachers, school staff, students and parents share the responsibility to work together to create a positive and safe environment for all.
Providing a safe and secure environment for students, teachers and other school district employees is a critical task for any district. Because of recent instances of school violence in several states throughout the country, parents, educators, taxpayers and lawmakers are focusing more attention than ever on safety and security in public schools.
BACKGROUND
In Texas and throughout the country, there has been a steady progression of changes to laws governing the safety and security of students in public schools. In 1994, Congress re-authorized the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, which requires school systems to institute a comprehensive safe and drug-free schools program.
In 1997, Congress re-authorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act with notable changes. The revisions require school systems to provide appropriate education services to students with disabilities and make it easier to remove dangerous or violent students with special needs from the classroom. The law also permits the removal of students from regular education programs if they are involved with drugs or bring weapons to school.
Safety and security programs must include elements of prevention, intervention and enforcement, as well as cooperation with all local law enforcement agencies. Discipline management and alternative education programs (AEP) are key tools in this process.
Data released jointly by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice statistics in a report entitled Indicators of School Crime and Safety 2001 states:
"The report on school crime and victimization released today offers promising evidence that the efforts of communities, schools, law enforcement officials, faith-based and youth-serving organizations and other local partners can lead to reductions in school violence. Better awareness of the need for safe schools, stronger programs based on research and tougher policies all have made a difference in our classrooms.
While the school crime trend is moving in the right direction and the number of students bringing weapons to school in particular has dropped by 42 percent, we can't let up on our efforts. Our young people cannot learn if they don't feel safe and our teachers must be able to teach in classrooms free of violence and disruption. We must continue to work hand in hand with local law enforcement agencies, parents and community and religious groups to ensure that our schools are safe havens for our children and their teachers."
During the past decade, urban crime problems such as gangs have spread to many of the nation's schools. In the past, school districts relied upon existing law enforcement agencies to provide assistance. Those agencies, however, do not always have adequate personnel to effectively patrol city streets in and around schools or provide the level of service needed to safeguard students, employees and district property. To address the growing crime problem, many districts have established their own security forces or partnered with local law enforcement.
Keeping Texas Children Safe in School, a TSPR report issued in January 2000, provides common sense solutions to help address the safety issues and challenges facing most public school districts today. The report's findings describe a model safety plan that includes ways to reduce the potential for violence in schools. According to the report, "Prevention is the foundation laid to deter crime and violence."
Exhibit 9-1 outlines the 10 steps of TSPR's plan, which is organized around three key areas: prevention, intervention and enforcement.
Exhibit 9-1 Source: TSPR, "Keeping Texas Children Safe in Schools," January 2000.
Keeping Texas Children Safe in School
January 2000
Element Measures Prevention Know your goals and objectives: where your district is going and what you want to accomplish. Establish clear expectations for students, parents, teachers and administrators. Address warning signs before they turn into trouble. Intervention Look for trouble before it finds you. Recognize trouble when you see it. Have individuals in the right place and at the right time to intervene. Have a plan of action appropriate for the occasion and practice it. Enforcement Leave no room for double standards. Ensure that discipline management extends inside and outside the classroom. Alternative programs are not just a matter of compliance with the law; they are many students' last chance at success. CHISD's District Improvement Plan (DIP) for 2001-02 links board-approved district goals with key activities for each CHISD department to perform. Exhibit 9-2 is an example of a security-related goal, objective and strategies listed in the DIP.
Exhibit 9-2 Source: CHISD assistant superintendent, Business and Support Services and CHISD District Improvement Plan, 2001-02.
District Improvement Plan
2001-02
District Goal District Objective Strategy/Activity/Initiative Provide a safe and orderly learning environment. Maintain and promote a safe, healthy and supportive environment for our students and staff. Raise student, staff and community awareness of drugs and other forms of substance abuse. Continue to refine and coordinate the district crisis plan with the City of Cedar Hill. Provide picture ID's for all employees and substitutes. CHISD's assistant superintendent, AdministrativeServices functions as the key contact with external law enforcement services, government agencies and the community on safety and security topics. Several other positions also share safety-related responsibilities. Exhibit 9-3 highlights the organization chart for safety and security services, with the shaded boxes representing the district's safety and security measures.
Exhibit 9-3 Source: CHISD assistant superintendent, Administrative Services, March 2002.
Safety and Security Services
OrganizationCHISD's safety and security budget is presented in Exhibit 9-4.
Exhibit 9-4 Source: CHISD assistant superintendent, Business and Support Services and City of Cedar Hill, March 2002.
Safety and Security Budget
1999-2000 through 2001-02
Category 1999-2000
Actual2000-01
Actual2001-02
BudgetedSchool Crossing Guards $93,859 $104,947 $105,622 District Security $18,943 $28,921 $30,000 Supplies $575 $60 $100 Capital Outlay $0 $0 $100 Canine Dogs * * $100 Contract CRO's per City of Cedar Hill (50%) $45,875 $188,495 $163,338
*Denotes an undetermined amount due to internal coding errors.The district uses cameras and monitors attached to video recording surveillance equipment at Cedar Hill High School, Permenter Middle School and the AEP. District officials believe these devices offer a physical deterrent to those who see them. After incidents, such as vandalism or fighting occur, district employees replay the videos as part of the investigation to determine the cause of the event and to identify the participants. The cameras are set up in public areas such as hallways, but are not used as monitoring tools because none of those locations are consistently manned.
Exhibit 9-5 shows number, type and location of security equipment. There are no maintenance contracts or budget to repair the equipment; therefore, CHISD uses the Information Systems Department employees to make whatever repairs they can. The district also hires off-duty police officers that have sufficient knowledge of security equipment to make minor repairs and adjustments.
Exhibit 9-5 Source: CHISD assistant superintendent, Administrative Services, June 2002.
CHISD Security Equipment
2001-02
Location Item Number Model Cedar Hill High School Golf Cart for use around
campus on tracks and
fields during events1 Cedar Hill High School Cameras (12 Color) 24 Sony and Toshiba Cedar Hill High School Monitors 8 Cedar Hill High School Radios 15 Cedar Hill High School *VCR 2 Cedar Hill High School *Camera 4 Permenter Middle School Cameras 30 Permenter Middle School Monitors 6 B/W Exxis System Permenter Middle School VCRs 6 B/W Exxis System Permenter Middle School Monitor and VCR 2 ISS (4 cameras) Permenter Middle School Monitor and VCR 2 CBI (2 cameras) Permenter Middle School Radios 11 High Pointe Elementary Radios 3 Plummer Elementary *VCR 2 Plummer Elementary *Video Camera 4 Highlands Elementary Radios 4 Waterford Oaks Elementary Radios 2 Waterford Oaks Elementary *VCR 1 Waterford Oaks Elementary *Video Camera 2 Beltline Intermediate Radios 4 West Intermediate Radios 3 West Intermediate *VCR 1 West Intermediate *Video Camera 2 AEP Radios 7 Athletics Radios 10
*Denotes special education classrooms.
