Readout of the Federal Commission on School Safety's Fourth Regional Public Listening Session
The Federal Commission on School Safety (FCSS) held a listening session on August 28, 2018 in Montgomery, Alabama. This forum provided an opportunity for members of the public to speak to the Commission about their views on how schools, districts, institutions of higher education, and other local and state government agencies can improve school safety.
The Department of Education was represented by Deputy Secretary Mick Zais. The Department of Justice was represented by Jessica Hart, Public Liaison for the Office of Legislative Affairs. The Department of Homeland Security was represented by Protective Security Coordination Division Director Scott Breor. The Department of Health and Human Services was represented by Assistant Secretary Elinore McCance-Katz.
"The variety of schools in our country is enormous, from large research universities to tiny elementary schools, from urban settings to remote rural settings... That's why open listening sessions like this are so important to gather input from around the country and that's why this commission will not be issuing directives or unfunded mandates," Deputy Secretary Zais said in his opening remarks.
The Commission listening session consisted of two roundtable discussions and a public input session:
Roundtable 1:
- Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama
- Del Marsh, President Pro Tempore of the Alabama State Senate
- Mac McCutcheon, Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives
- Dr. Eric Mackey, Superintendent of the Alabama State Department of Education
- Hal Taylor, Secretary of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
- Marshall Fisher, Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety
- Dr. Harris Pastides, President of the University of South Carolina
- Kathy Martinez-Prather, Director of the Texas School Safety Center
Roundtable 2:
- Lynn Beshear, Commissioner of Alabama Department of Mental Health
- Jimmy Baker, Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System
- Donna Bahorich, Chair of the Texas State Board of Education
- Jim Purcell, Acting Secretary of Information Technology for the State of Alabama
- Rick Jasperse, Representative for Georgia state House District 11
- Dr. Marilyn Lewis, Administrator of Preventative and Support Services for the Alabama State Department of Education
- Jennifer Newell, Program Manager for the Oklahoma School Security Institute
- Freddie Lynn Jr., Senior Vice President of Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood
- Johnathan Butcher, Senior Policy Analyst for the Heritage Foundation
- Pamela Revels, Corporal of the School Resource and Training Division for the Lee County Sheriffs Office