Austin, Texas is the latest battleground for a new bill aimed at enhancing school safety measures in the state. Texas House Bill 13 proposes to provide up to $25,000 stipends to public school employees who complete mental health training and state-approved programs to carry firearms on campus. Authored by Republican State Rep. Ken King, the legislation focuses on “training, preparedness, and funding for school safety and emergencies.”

HB 13 seeks to empower districts to create a safety plan that best serves their local community while ensuring a minimum standard for all. “In light of the tragedies that have occurred in Texas schools over the past years, HB 13 allows districts to create a safety plan that works best for their local community while ensuring a minimum standard for all,” said King in a tweet.

The so-called Sentinel program, which would be separate from the already established Guardian and School Marshall programs, is designed to help prevent tragic events from happening in the future. The bill is now headed to the Senate for approval.

La Vernia ISD is among 300 Texas school districts that have approved policies for implementing the Guardian program, which permits qualified teachers and staff to carry firearms on school property. No financial compensation is offered in these programs. The La Vernia ISD Board of Trustees greenlit the Guardian program just a couple of weeks before the Robb Elementary shooting on May 24, 2022.

According to Dr. Michael Duffek, chief administrative officer at La Vernia ISD, the district is doing everything in its power to ensure the safety of their students. Duffek could not disclose the number of Guardians who’ve been approved due to confidentiality reasons but said that staff must carry firearms concealed at all times.

“My goal is a deterrent. If an active shooter were to come on our campuses and see that sign, it would let them know that we have people on our campuses that are carrying and will use deadly force if they try to hurt our babies,” said Duffek.

HB 13 requires candidates to complete mental health and first aid training in addition to state-approved firearms courses. However, Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock) voted against the bill and expressed his concerns about the potential for perverse incentives, stating that

“As teacher pay has actually declined over the past decade when you account for inflation, my concern is that we’re putting in place a perverse incentive for teachers to sign up for this program just to get extra money to make ends meet.”

Despite Talarico’s concerns, Duffek maintains that money is not the motivator for teachers, but rather, it’s about student safety. “This wasn’t a give me to get them to become guardians. They do it because they love their kids. If the state wants to throw money at a guardian as part of a stipend, by all means,” he said.

With HB 13 gaining traction in the Texas legislature, it remains to be seen whether the bill will make a significant impact in enhancing school safety in the state. However, it’s clear that policymakers are taking action to prevent further tragedies from occurring on Texas school grounds.

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