Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen Discusses School Safety Initiative At State Education Convention

Safe Schools Safe Communities

MILWAUKEE -  Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen addressed the annual WASB-WASDA-WASBO State Education Convention today as part of a discussion session on school safety. Van Hollen called on Wisconsins school board members and district administrators to make schools safer by facilitating information sharing.

Schools are not islands separate from society, said Attorney General Van Hollen. They are integral parts of communities. Unfortunately, the public safety issues that plague communities are present and sometimes intensified at schools.

When it comes to school safety, schools and school districts are on the front lines, said Van Hollen. The policies and procedures school districts and administrators put into place can have a dramatic impact on the safety of kids and teachers.

Recently, I developed a legislative proposal to facilitate greater information-sharing between schools and law enforcement, said Van Hollen. Much of this work suggests that there are a number of strategies that can help your school districts and the kids your school districts serve be safer.

During his remarks today Van Hollen focused on three such strategies:

1)      Teach Internet Safety

2)      When It Comes To School Safety, Share as Much Information as You Can With Law Enforcement

3)      Create a Law Enforcement Unit; Consider Using Police School Liaison Officers

Van Hollens remarks were followed by a panel discussion entitled Safe Schools Safe Communities lead by Special Assistant Attorney General Kevin St. John, Division of Law Enforcement Services Administrator Gary Hamblin and Assistant Attorney General Tom Fallon.

A copy of Attorney General Van Hollens remarks is available: