Gov. Parson signs executive order for School Safety Task Force

Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order Wednesday morning that will create a statewide plan for school safety, including concerns of school shootings and safety, natural disasters and the mental health of students.

The superintendant of the Blair Oaks R-2 school district, Jim Jones, welcomed the governor to Blair Oaks High School where a gym was filled with students.

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe will oversee the task force which includes:

Director Sandy Karsten, Department of Public Safety Director Mark Stringer, Department of Mental Health Commissioner Margie Vandeven, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Melissa Randol, Executive Director of Missouri School Boards’ Association Paul Fennewald, Senior Policy Advisor to the Center for Education Safety

The task force will do a statewide study of the safety of schools in Missouri to evaluate what is going well and what needs to be improved to ensure students are safe. They will be studying the Federal Commission on School Safety report.

“Multiple studies on school safety around the country have revealed failures that might have prevented attacks and mitigate some of the terrible damange,” Parson said. “These failures prompted the president to convene a federal commitee on school safety to examine the complex components of ensuring students saftey.”

Parson said the School Safety Task Force will have its report and recommendation ready by July 31.

Parson said keeping students safe is a top priority. “As a parent, a grandfather, and a governor I expect schools to be safe places, from the time the student steps onto the bus in the morning until they step off in the afternoon,” Parson said.

Parson mentioned the state is already doing a good job protecting students, “As a state, we need to ensure we are providing the tools and guidance to help them them continue.” Parson said. “To be clear, there is no single solution to the issue surrounding school saftey, and there could be no one size fits all approach to an issue this complex.”

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