Fort Worth lawmaker seeks to cut Texas school entrances to one

For many politicians and school district officials, last May’s shooting in Uvalda highlighted the need to improve campus security. Now the Fort Worth rookie legislator is pushing for legislation that he claims will do just that.

Earlier this month, Republican Rep. Nate Schatzlein filed a bill that would mandate single-point school entrances. House Bill 1370 requires any additional outside doors to remain closed and locked, and violators face a felony in state prison.

“This will make our schools safer by limiting hotspots, increase accountability for people who put children at risk by not acting on this law, and give back more rights to parents,” Schatzlein recently said in a released statement. to Twitter.

It’s time to make Texas school safety a priority, and the HB1370 and HB1371 will do just that! #txlege pic.twitter.com/Tit8bfnNsZ

— Nate Schatzline (@NateSchatzline) January 18, 2023

On May 24, an 18-year-old gunman entered Robb’s primary school in Uvalda through a back door and killed 19 students and two teachers. Officials initially claimed that the door had been opened shortly before the murders. Investigators later learned that it had been closed prior to the shooting, but not locked.

Following Uvalde, gun reform advocates have called firearms a problem. However, some Second Amendment supporters instead pointed to social problems ranging from uncontrolled mental illness to fatherless families.

The idea of ​​one-door schools found support among prominent Republican Party politicians, including US Senator Ted Cruz, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and even former President Donald Trump. Detractors, meanwhile, questioned the effectiveness and practicality of such a move.

A few days after Uvalde Texas Tribune reported that on larger campuses, it could take thousands of students and staff several hours to get in and out through a single entrance. Some areas may also have schools with multiple buildings and portable devices, further complicating the process.

Old neighborhood buildings could be refurbished under a law like the one Schatzlein proposed, at a cost to local taxpayers, according to Tribune. And critics point out that it’s important to have more than one door available in the event of an emergency, such as a fire. (Schatzline’s bill states that an emergency response could be a “protection from prosecution” for some, including parents and certain staff.)

Nicole Golden, chief executive of Texas Gun Sense, said in an email that most Texans agree with “common sense measures” to protect against gun violence in schools and communities. Such proposals include the implementation of “a stricter screening process when purchasing semi-automatic rifles (such as raising the purchase age to 21)”, mandatory background checks, and red flag laws. It could also mean more investment in anti-violence programs and gun safety training.

“Our students, teachers, and families in our schools and communities deserve a future free of gun violence.” – Nicole Golden, Texas Gun Sense

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Golden noted that about 4,000 Texans are shot every year. The state has seen some of the most notorious mass shootings in recent years, she said.

“Our students, teachers and families in our schools and communities deserve a future free of gun violence,” Golden wrote. “Now is the time to act, and we are working tirelessly with our coalition and leaders to steer our policies in the right direction.”

Observer contacted the Schatzline office for an interview, but received no response by the time of publication.

Schatzline has filed another bill aimed at improving safety in schools. HB 1371 mandates that armed, properly trained security personnel be on campus during regular school hours.

About a decade ago, the Lone Star State rolled out a school marshal program that allows some teachers to carry guns. However, out of more than 1,200 counties in Texas, only 84 registered. Texas Tribune reported in June.

Some counties in North Texas also have signs posted to advertise their readiness.

A photo posted to Reddit last week shows an ISD poster for Wills Point, located about 50 miles east of Dallas, saying staff are “armed, trained and will use any force necessary to protect our students.”

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Kate Keyerleber, a county spokesperson, said the signs were installed at the start of the school year. She said the district is now in its fifth year in Texas under a guardianship program that allows gun-licensed and rigorously trained teachers to bring their guns to campus.

Keyerleber added that her area already requires visitors to enter through the main corridor. According to her, the remaining remaining entrances have a key card and can only be accessed by employees.

Other counties in North Texas posted similar notices. For example, Peast ISD installed signs to warn malicious armed employees, the Pew website reported after the 2018 Santa Fe, Texas high school shooting.

Ari Freilich, director of public policy at Giffords Law Center for Gun Violence Prevention, wrote in an email that his group shares Schatzline’s goals of improving the well-being and safety of students and teachers. However, the idea that Texas educators could face a felony for leaving a door unattended doesn’t sit well with him.

Freilich noted that state legislators have already spent millions on efforts such as arming additional personnel and beefing up security. In his opinion, these politicians have yet to have honest discussions about how to prevent future school shootings.

He cited the state’s relatively high gun homicide rate under his current leadership, adding that it is “tragic” that lawmakers appear to be more likely to criminalize teachers than implement more practical reforms.

“School safety matters,” Freilich wrote. “But it’s just unacceptable to look at the Uvalda massacre and the number of gun homicides in Texas and determine that the only thing Texas can do to protect children from gun violence is turn educators into criminals and regulate doors.”