Back to school means more than returning to learning, and this year, a new Georgia law requires school districts to take proactive measures to keep children and staff members safe. In this week’s Lawmaker’s Huddle, GPB’s Donna Lowry talks to the new state Senate Majority Leader about how school safety topped the list of priorities during the legislative session.
Back to school means more than returning to learning. This year, a new Georgia law requires school districts to take proactive measures to keep children and staff members safe.
In this week’s Lawmaker’s Huddle, GPB’s Donna Lowry talks to the new state Senate Majority Leader about how school safety topped the list of priorities during the legislative session.
Donna Lowry: Most Georgia schools had only been in session a few weeks when, last year, on Sept. 4, the tragic shooting of two students and two teachers occurred at Apalachee High School in Winder. Immediately, lawmakers started looking for ways to help schools beef up security measures. Joining me to discuss those efforts is the recently elected state Senate Majority Leader, Jason Anavitarte of Dallas. Welcome to Lawmakers Huddle and congratulations on your new leadership position.
Jason Anavitarte: Hey, Donna, thank you so much, and it’s great to be with you as always.
Donna Lowry: I want to focus on the fact that there are two significant aspects to the new law that you served as lead sponsor on, starting with the requirement that all Georgia schools install a mobile panic button system. Explain how that technology works.
Jason Anavitarte: Yeah, and thanks for talking about this legislation. Basically, this law, it's not a foreign concept for many school districts around the state. I think most school districts around the state have some sort of technology or panic alert system that they've employed in their school districts, trying to get rid of old technology, push button technology. And as the technology evolved, we've seen it throughout many counties, including my own home counties, to where the technology is connected to E911, the public safety folks, so that when there is an active shooter or an emergency or security incident, everybody is alerted and the technology also can take you to the location of where that incident took place.
Donna Lowry: While the law took effect this July 1 of this year, schools have a year to implement it, those who haven't done it. And I understand that there could be as many as 80% of schools that already have it in Georgia.
Jason Anavitarte: Yeah, we know it's more than a majority of the schools, and I think as time has gone on, I mean, we saw after the Apalachee incident, I mean, one of the data points that was shared with us was I think Barrow County had put the technology in place literally a week before the tragedy incident happened.
Donna Lowry: The governor's budget over the last few years has provided for some funding, and as technology continues to evolve, won't that money have to remain a priority?
Jason Anavitarte: Yeah, I think it does. I mean, I have one school district in Polk County, Ga., that basically has metal detectors, school resource officers, police officers. Probably, you know, from a physical security perspective, one of the safest school districts, if not the safest school district in the state of Georgia. But I think as you and I know, weapons, things, security, incidents, threats can happen anywhere. And a metal detector is not gonna be foolproof. I think it’s gonna be vigilant students.
Donna Lowry: Let's talk about another major part of the law. It mandates real-time digital mapping to help first responders. And even though it's not in effect until July of next year, some of that is already happening now. Explain what that's all about.
Jason Anavitarte: So, one of the things, whether we use the Apalachee example or any other threat incident example at elementary school, high school, is for when first responders show up on campus to know the layout of the campus. Where are locks? Where are doors? Where are people? Where things stored? And that could be everything inside the school building or even on the athletic facility at the football stadium. Where are the emergency entrances? So, if a fire truck, a SWAT vehicle or anything has to come on campus, they know where those entry and exit points are. And also, too, if they're trying to track down an assailant, they also have a better idea of where to literally go. So, basically what this is requiring is for all the school districts and buildings in the state to be mapped, so that if I'm a law enforcement agent in a, maybe a neighboring county, and I'm coming over to help respond to an incident, I have that real, real-time mapping data. And so when I arrive at the scene, I can basically engage and I'm on the same page with everyone else.
Donna Lowry: I want to thank you, Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, for coming on Lawmaker's Huddle.
Jason Anavitarte: Thank you so much.
Donna Lowry: Well, you'll find this entire interview and more on the Battleground Ballot Box podcast. For Lawmakers Huddle, I'm Donna Lowry.
