DESE lists ways to keep students safe following a Kansas City mass shooting threat
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ.)
A suspect has now been taken into custody, after making threats to commit a mass shooting in the Kansas City metro area.
According to a press release ten schools canceled summer school and district activities, in response to the threat.
Police departments in the affected school districts responded as well, saying while no location was specified, the suspect posted on Snapchat, threatening to kill people and commit mass murder.
Mallory McGowin who works for DESE says school safety will always be a priority and districts across the state are looking for ways to continue to make sure there are more mental health resources available to hopefully prevent any tragedies from happening.
"What happened in recent weeks after the tragedy in Texas is a refocus on the importance of school safety," said McGowin.
McGowin says some ways its organization is working with school districts in Missouri to prevent pathways to violence.
"This is such an important topic to make sure that we talk about hand and hand those preventative measures, what can we do to put students and staff in touch with the appropriate mental health experts to get them the help that they need," said McGowin.
For now, the state's education department is really working on mental health resources for students says, McGowin.
McGowin says people can visit, "courage to report", and make an anonymous report anytime during the day if they feel like they're in an unsafe situation.
"We cannot rest when it comes to school safety, we have to make sure that we are getting school leaders teachers, and students and families the very latest information," said McGowin.
A school security expert also tells me regardless of the amount of technology and help a school gets.. making sure people are trained is one of the most important things.
"Any type of security, technology, hardware, and equipment is only as good as the weakest human link behind it and the first and best line of defense is a well-trained, highly alert staff and student body," said Kenneth Trump, a school security expert.
