DSISD parents voice school safety concerns
With school safety concerns continuing to grow, parentteacher association representatives have requested heightened school safety measures for Dripping Springs ISD.
Eight members from local PTAs spoke during the period of public comment at DSISD’s regular Board of Trustees meeting on April 24.
The requests followed the April 24 passage in the Texas House of Representatives of House Bill 3, which seeks to clarify how the Texas School Safety Center and the Texas Education Agency are responsible for developing and enforcing school safety requirements and standards. The focus on school safety also comes on the heels of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde last May.
HB 3 would give at least $15,000 to each campus every year for school safety measures.
It would also require school districts to place at least one armed officer or employee on each campus during regular school hours as part of the bill.
In the same vein, multiple PTA representatives at the April meeting expressed a need for school resource officers — licensed peace officers employed by a local law enforcement agency to serve the school district or campus.
“The constant presence of an armed person who is adequately and thoroughly trained . .
. is a logical first step in protecting our most valuable assets,” said Erin Fields, a parent of a child at Dripping Springs Elementary.
“Currently, several campuses are splitting the time of an SRO and that's simply not enough.”
Another parent from Dripping Springs Elementary School, Megan Rossi, voiced similar concerns about the safety and security of her children and their teachers.
“I see firsthand the cold hard truth of how dire the security threat is at DSE,” she said. “There are nearly 30 external points of entry, not counting the low-level single pane windows. There is a short perimeter fence that is easily bypassed and not properly maintained. Even a cow has entered school property multiple times during the school day endangering our staff and children.”
Becky Macinally, a parent of incoming elementary schoolers, shared her concerns with the response times it takes to alert offcampus assistance in an emergency.
“We've seen that in the Covenant shooting in Nashville that the first shot was fired at 10:10,” she explained. “Police were called at 10:13, and officers arrived on the scene at 10:21. The shooter was shot and killed at 10:25. It only took 15 minutes to murder three children and three adult staff members.”
A second aspect of these requests was an examination of the security procedures adopted in surrounding districts.
Marna Pritchett, a parent and president of the Dripping Springs Elementary PTA, spoke about the security procedures implemented in Wimberley and San Marcos.
“Districts like Wimberley have fulltime SROs at every campus,” she said. “San Marcos just approved a Marshal program, and we would like to see that come to our district.”
San Marcos’ school marshal program puts an armed first responder in each of their elementary schools. The marshal must fulfill certain requirements such as having a current license to carry, passing a psychological exam and completing an 80-hour school marshal training course. San Marcos Police Chief Stan Standrige explained that their marshals would conduct audits and reviews of security protocols, check exterior doors on a weekly basis and serve as point of conduct for all security matters at their assigned campus.
The board acknowledged the concerns raised and said they will take these matters under advisement.
Following the expression of similar concerns last year, DSISD hired Sirenna Cumberland as the district’s new Director of Safety. Cumberland herself was an SRO with the district from 2013 to 2019 and had almost 30 years of law enforcement experience. Prior to her appointment, Cumberland also served for three years as a Training Specialist for the Texas School Safety Center in San Marcos, working with both public schools and the law enforcement community to conduct mandated training and ensure schoolbased law enforcement curriculum is updated and consistent.
“In her new role, Cumberland will provide strategic direction and leadership for DSISD’s safety and security program,” a statement from DSISD said at the time. “This includes training, monitoring, and managing districtwide safety and security protocols, as well as the advisement and coordination of safety and security systems and equipment for the district. She will … report directly to Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz.”
While with DSISD as an SRO, Cumberland provided security and safety to students and staff. In her role, she investigated criminal matters occurring on school grounds, conducted school security inspections, collaborated with administration and teachers to develop crisis plans, and presented proactive education on topics such as digital citizenship, anti-drug and appropriate device usage.
To learn more about DSISD’s current safety and security policies and procedures, visit dsisdtx.us/domain/900.