The Texas mass shooting has Bay Area school districts looking to reassure nervous parents and students. That includes outlining the measures schools here are taking to make sure kids are safe on campus.
Lisa Clavelle is a grandparent to three young children in the East Bay. After the mass shooting in Texas, they're asking new questions about safety in the area.
“The hope that it will be taken more seriously right now the only thing that anyone is talking about right now is just the heartbreak. you know. I mean just the heartbreak, everyone is looking at their kids and holding them close and just sad,” she said.
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Kenneth Chris Hurst, superintendent of the West Contra Costa Unified School District said he started with the resources available to families.
“We sent social workers down also to the school sites so in case an adult or a student needed to just talk,” he said.
Hurst then explained measures and strategies the district has taken, including requiring visible id for those on campus, random locker checks and plans for identifying at-risk students and providing immediate support.
“We talked about things that we are doing immediately, long term strategies around social emotional learning and mental health mental wellbeing and what we’re doing around physical safety around access points on campus, security on campus,” he said.
Hurst also noted they recently had community safety meetings to discuss, among other things, weapons confiscated from students.
Some parents NBC Bay Area spoke to say they were also reassured by seeing police patrolling near schools Wednesday, others wonder when the country will take more concrete steps.
Richmond resident Jeremy Dantzler said his wife is a teacher and is worried.
“She’s truly heart broken by this, I can’t imagine,” he said.
Hurst offered suggestions for ways to support youth to discuss their feelings. He added that the district will reinforce operational reinforcing plans for ensuring schools.
Earlier Wednesday, police in cities like Richmond and Pinole stepped up patrols near schools, the shooting happened in Texas, but reaction was quick in the west. Richmond police say there were increased patrols and visibility around schools Wednesday.
