KC School Superintendent Likes President’s Plan

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Among other things, President Barack Obama’s new School Safety Proposal is shelling out 150-million dollars to allow local communities to hire up to 1,000 school resource officers and counselors. The administration would also help schools develop better emergency management plans designed to help students and staff respond more efficiently to such emergencies like mass shootings.

President Obama is also proposing to assist thousands of schools with creating stronger programs that tackle bullying, gun violence, drug abuse and other behavioral issues.

“I think it’s a bold move and applaud it from a school perspective, what he’s doing to provide more resources, ” says Dr. Steve Green, the Superintendent for Kansas City Public Schools.

Currently, the Kansas City Public Schools District has about 25 armed school resource officers, who are trained Kansas City police officers, patrolling its seven high schools and

Dr. Green says the extra officers should be on board sometime this school year.

“I think it’s a good idea. I think they ought to improve the school district and make it safer for these kids, “says Lisa Baker, who’s granddaughter is a seventh in the Kansas City school District.”

“Anything you can do to makes schools safer, definitely, but I don’t know the armed guards kind of bother me,” says Alex Saper, a father of a student.