School Safety Reforms Central to President Obama’s Gun Control Proposal

President Barack Obama presented a sweeping set of gun control recommendations on Wednesday, with many focused directly on increasing safety measures in schools.

According to the Politics K-12 blog, the proposals signal a shift in federal priorities—the proposals ask for increases in school safety and mental health counseling funding, areas the administration has sought to cut in the budget in recent years.

Check out the Politics K-12 post for a more in-depth look at the proposals, which includes creating model emergency response plans for institutions like schools and providing $50 million for training for professionals like social workers and counselors who plan to work with young adults.

The full text of the plan can also be found on the White House website.

The local school safety conversation

In the month since the , this issue has been at the forefront of conversations across the country, including Northeast Ohio. School districts from North Canton to Lakewood to Mentor have taken the issue on, opting to strengthen their ID policy for visitors and looking for ways to identify students that need extra support.

The Mayfield City Schools' safety and security plan is under constant review and refinement, Superintendent Dr. Keith Kelly said in a letter to the community on Wednesday.

"Our safety process is ongoing," Kelly said. 

Kelly's letter listed a number of measures district officials have taken recently.

• Earlier this month, district administrators met with security officials from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation to learn about the latest crisis response techniques. Mayfield officials also continue to meet with the safety forces of the district's four communities to reevaluate and update the school-based crisis response protocols. Principals have reviewed safety procedures with staff.
• Local police and fire officials also have reviewed the crisis plans at every school building with the Mayfield City Schools Safety Committee.
• Safety drills will be increased for every school building and will include all students and staff. All schools ran safety drills in the fall.
• A district-wide phone system, which includes phones in all classrooms, is equipped with panic buttons to alert the main office. Additionally, exterior doors at the schools are locked. The main entrances at all the schools have buzz-in systems and video surveillance.

School Resource Officers, among the executive actions taken by President Obama on Wednesday, already are present every day in Mayfield schools, Kelly said. Find the full list of executive actions, which can go into effect immediately without congressional approval, on the New York Times website.

Mayfield Schools Safety Reporting Helpline can be called anonymously to report suspicious behavior or threats: 1-866-547-8362.