Florida's Legislative Response to School Safety

[LexusLover]

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bil...illText/e2/PDF

Let's see how long it takes Congress.

[LexusLover]

Originally Posted by LexusLover

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bil...illText/e2/PDF

(k) Establish, if the sheriff so chooses, a Coach Aaron
Feis Guardian Program to aid in the prevention or abatement of
active assailant incidents on school premises. A school guardian
has no authority to act in any law enforcement capacity except
to the extent necessary to prevent or abate an active assailant
incident on a school premises. Excluded from participating in
the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program are individuals who
exclusively perform classroom duties as classroom teachers as
defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a). This limitation does not apply to
classroom teachers of a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps
program, a current servicemember, as defined in s. 250.01, or a
current or former law enforcement officer, as defined in s.
943.10(1), (6), or (8).

Florida is not interested in "arming" teachers, but have exempted from that prohibition persons with prior training that might be preparatory to facing an active shooter at the school.

[LexusLover]

https://www.vox.com/2018/3/7/1709314...ardian-program

To sidestep the controversy, lawmakers struck a deal to prevent most classroom teachers from being able to participate. Instead, the bill calls for other school employees — such as librarians and coaches — to be armed instead. They also rebranded it as a “school guardianship” program.

The program is voluntary, and school boards or superintendents would decide whether to participate and sponsor employees to undergo training with the local sheriff’s department.

Eligible employees would undergo 132 hours of training, including firearms safety and active-shooter drills; go through mental health screening, background checks, and drug tests; and officially become sworn officers with the local sheriff’s office.

Staffers who become trained marshals would get a $500 stipend. Republican Rep. José Oliva, who sponsored the initial legislation that involved teachers, indicated it’s up to school boards or superintendents whether participants would have to purchase their own firearms or whether the district would buy them.

Florida’s guardianship program hews closely to one already in existence in Central Florida’s Polk County, sponsored by a local sheriff. The Ledger, a newspaper in Polk County, reported that only Southeastern University, a private college, participates, with nine staff members as trained special deputies authorized to carry weapons.