Sen. Lisa Wellman, chair of the Senate Education Committee, recently wrote an op-ed for the Seattle Times outlining school safety priorities Democrats plan to pursue in 2019:
As a new school year begins, one issue remains high on every parent’s mind — keeping our kids safe. With so many high-profile tragedies last year, it’s heartbreaking but understandable that many students don’t feel safe in their classrooms. Current surveys show more than one third of parents fear for their children’s safety in school — the highest rate since the nation grappled with the Columbine, Colorado, shootings two decades ago.
That must change. It is our job as lawmakers to make sure every student has access to a healthy, safe and supportive learning environment — and every parent feels comfortable sending them to school.
Over the summer, Senate and House Democrats reached out to educators, parents, law enforcement, students and others with expertise in school safety to develop comprehensive solutions. We took a hard look at policies already in place in Washington, gaps in these policies and best practices we can learn from other states
