On the Attorney General’s role in school safety
I want to stress that our children are generally very safe at school. But we need to take seriously our role not only in reacting to school crises when they do occur, but in prevention and recovery. The Attorney General has a statutory role under Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.536 to collect school safety and floor plans from all public, private, charter, and vocational schools as well as preschools with kindergartens — more than 4,300 schools statewide — and make them available to law enforcement in an emergency. Schools upload these plans through their Ohio Department of Education Web portal to the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway. The office urges law enforcement, fire departments, school officials, and other partners to work together to develop plans unique to each school and community.
On resources the office provides
Shortly after the Newtown, Conn., tragedy, Attorney General DeWine created a School Safety Task Force. In 2013, it released a report and recommendations, model emergency operations and floor plans, and an online presentation to help local officials develop plans and take advantage of resources, including several related to mental health and school safety. These resources are located at
www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/SchoolSafety. The Attorney General’s Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) has trained more than 13,000 school employees in active shooter preparedness and response and provided the training on DVD to all Ohio districts. OPOTA also provides training on de-escalating mental health crises and crisis intervention. Information is at
www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/OPOTA.
On state laws related to school safety
School districts must update their safety plans every three years or anytime there is a major building modification that requires changes to procedures. The law also requires schools to involve law enforcement, safety officials, parents, teachers, and staff in plan development and give law enforcement access to school buildings for training. It’s important that all partners exchange information, train and practice often, and certify that they have participated in the development and review of safety and floor plans.
On the value of collaboration
Local control, organization, and resources are keys to successful planning and execution in the event of an emergency. The response is greatly improved if everyone knows their roles and responsibilities. That’s why police, fire, EMS, parents, teachers, school officials and staff, and other community partners must be involved in planning and training. It is important to know your community resources and understand your schools’ physical layouts and surrounding geography to recognize challenges and develop solutions based on your resources. Live training and tabletop exercises are crucial. Form a safety committee and meet regularly. Update plans and keep all information current. For an overview of important considerations, review Appendix C of the School Safety Task Force Report at
www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/SchoolSafety.
On law enforcement’s role
Talk with school officials, teachers, staff, parents, and students to build the trust needed for crisis prevention. Law enforcement has unique training and knowledge of the operational logistics so important to the development of safety plans. They also know mental health providers, clergy, and government services to help in crisis intervention and recovery. Police and fire can help conduct vulnerability and threat assessments of school property and determine staging areas for first aid, family reunification, and communications with the media, parents, and the community. If a district doesn’t have a school resource or DARE officer, law enforcement may be able to establish an educational presence program through which officers could work out of a school part-time or do walk-throughs at various times of the day. This helps develop important relationships and familiarize law enforcement with school buildings, students, and staff.
On the importance of mental health awareness
Mental health awareness is critical to preventing school violence, suicide, bullying, drug use, and other activities that can lead to safety issues. Identifying mental illness, emotional disorders, and family issues or other concerns before they manifest in a crisis allows for prevention and intervention that can save lives. Students who need help can be referred to proper resources to learn coping and communication skills. The
Attorney General’s School Safety Task Force report suggested a number of resources related to mental health.
On the Attorney General’s outreach efforts
We have participated in a number of forums and trainings on school safety, including the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) Conference, the Buckeye Charter School Board Conference, the Ohio Public Facilities Maintenance Association Conference, and gatherings for elementary and secondary school administrators and secretaries. The office also co-sponsored a school safety and emergency management planning conference with BASA and the U.S. Department of Education and conducted or took part in other events throughout the state. We were recently contacted by the Minnesota School Safety Center seeking permission to use the School Emergency Operations Plan designed by the Attorney General’s School Safety Task Force as a template for Minnesota schools.
The Pam Vest Boratyn File
Position: As general counsel to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Vest Boratyn oversees the work of the Education, Collections, Employment Law, Labor Relations, Opinions, and Transportation sections. She chaired the Attorney General’s School Safety Task Force and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
Past positions: She most recently served as Reynoldsburg safety/service director and previously was chief counsel to the Ohio auditor of state, legal counsel at the Department of Administrative Services, and chief of the Attorney General’s Transportation Section.
Education: Vest Boratyn holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Miami University and a law degree from Capital University Law School.
Family: She is married to Martin Boratyn.
Favorite quote: “Don’t become so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” — Unknown