Texas bill would put panic buttons in classrooms
HOUSTON - In the aftermath of the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, a bill could put panic buttons in classrooms across Texas, allowing teachers to reach first responders immediately in the case of an active shooter.
It's modeled after Alyssa’s Law in Florida.
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Some districts in Texas are already using the technology. Schools in Montgomery County are expected to roll out a panic button app for phones, going to teachers and staff in the next few months. The Rave Panic Button App also alerts others on campus of the threat.
The panic button bill will provide technology in classrooms across more than 8,000 Texas campuses. Teachers, administrators and staff who manage the doors at school would be able to communicate directly with first responders immediately during an active shooter situation with the push of a button. Panic buttons can also be separate devices on lanyards and also have GPS tracking that could help police get to the correct classroom quicker.
Democratic State Rep. Shawn Thierry is re-introducing the bill for the second session in a row. She says there's no reason that both Democrats and Republicans can't get behind this.
"As a mom of a 10-year-old child, a daughter in public school, I understand the fear that parents feel every day. When we drop off our children, we don’t even know if they’re going to return home to us," State. Rep Thierry says.
This time around, supporters of the bill are hopeful for a pass after both Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have mentioned school safety among their top priorities.
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Governor Greg Abbott also tweeted Thursday, "Parents must know that their children are going to be safe when they drop them off at school every single morning. We will NOT end this session without making our schools safer."
Republican State Sen. Brandon Creighton, co-sponsor of the bill and chair of the Senate Education Committee, is also optimistic that there will be support from both sides of the aisle, saying "there’s no partisanship in keeping our kids safe."
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The Rave Panic Button app rolling out in Montgomery County reportedly costs $170,000 for three years. To fund panic buttons for all districts in Texas, the money would come from a $20 million grant and previously approved state funding for school safety.
Critics of the bill say it doesn't solve the core problem of guns in school. According to reports, Robb Elementary did have a similar system in place that was triggered after the school was already on lockdown.