Georgia officials have unveiled a comprehensive school safety plan that mandates statewide participation in a new student information-sharing and safety database and that penalties those who make terroristic threats.
Georgia House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, R-Mulberry; state Rep. Holt Persinger, R-Winder; Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith; Barrow County School System Superintendent Dallas LeDuff; and the family of Apalachee High School Assistant Football Coach Richard Aspinwall joined House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, to announce the plan.
The plan, which follows a deadly Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High School near Winder, also requires the implementation of threat assessment teams in schools, the utilization of an anonymous reporting app that meets certain standards, the address of physical security infrastructure needs and the incentivizing of responsible firearm ownership practices. It would implement mandatory suspension for students who threaten until law enforcement and school personnel determine the student is cleared to return to school.
“Last year, our state witnessed an unimaginable tragedy at Apalachee High School when four Georgians were lost at the hands of an individual whose intent was to carry out a despicable act of evil,” Burns said in a release.
“The Georgia House is committed to taking strong action to ensure no parent, student or teacher ever has to fear for their safety when they drop their children off at school, go to class or go to work,” Burns added. “This school safety plan is a comprehensive approach to securing our school buildings, prioritizing the mental health of our children and keeping Georgia’s students safe.”
