Governor addressing gaps in school safety
6:10 p.m. Friday, June 8, 2007
A special commission, appointed by the governor to address the way schools respond to disasters, got to work Friday. Members are charged with streamlining school crisis response across the state.
Not all schools take a proactive approach in planning ahead for disasters, said Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.
“Lots of Kansas schools, I think, have great plans in place, have great practices in place,” she told 49 News. “But making sure that everybody has that shared knowledge, that we’re really thinking about this strategically, I think makes sense.”
Sebelius said there are several disasters certain Kansas schools might not be prepared for. The examples she gave include natural disasters, like tornados and floods; technology disasters, like gas leaks; and man-made disasters, like shootings.
“Taking safety and security of children in schools very seriously is important,” Sebelius said. “That’s where they spend the bulk of their days during the school year, and I think that’s an expectation of Kansans.”
“It’s exactly this type of information that we will derive from this committee that will identify gaps in crisis planning in districts just like ours,” said Patrick Woods, who sits on the commission and is a USD 501 board member-elect.
After a 49 News investigation last month, outgoing USD 501 superintendent Tony Sawyer admitted Topeka schools don’t all practice lockdown drills the same way. He assured 49 News the process would be streamlined by the time school starts this fall.
More on School Security
49 News Crime and Safety Reporter Jesse Fray did a series of investigative reports on how prepared USD 501 students are in the event of a disaster, and they are listed below:
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