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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2018.07.19 - 23673MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #18272 BY: Commissioner Eileen KowaII, District #6 IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — SUPPORT FOR MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO INCREASE SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES TO HARDEN THE SECURITY AT ALL MICHIGAN SCHOOLS To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS each day, approximately 501 million children leave home to attend public elementary and secondary schools according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); and WHEREAS all children deserve, and parents expect, an education in a safe and supportive environment that fosters academic success and healthy development; and WHEREAS more than 150,000 children attending more than 70 primary and secondary schools have experienced a shooting in their classroom or on campus; and WHEREAS time and again, hearts are broken by the news of another mass shooting at a community elementary or secondary school; and WHEREAS despite the various practices and procedures utilized at schools to promote the safety of students, faculty, and staff; perpetrators are accessing schools and taking the lives of many innocent victims as evident in Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Connecticut; and WHEREAS in 2015, about 83 percent of students ages 12 -18 reported observing one or more security cameras to monitor the school and 78 percent of students reported observing locked entrance or exit doors during the day at their schools; and WHEREAS current practices and school building infrastructures may represent potential vulnerabilities that impede the safety of all who access campuses, hallways and classrooms in schools across the country; and WHEREAS according to a study from the NCES, in the 2015-16 school year, 94 percent of public schools reported that they controlled access to school buildings by locking or monitoring doors during school hours; and WHEREAS certain practices, such as locking or monitoring doors and gates, are intended to limit or control access to school campuses, while others, such as the use of metal detectors and security cameras, are intended to monitor or restrict students' and visitors behavior on campus; and WHEREAS the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Clearing House for Educational Facilities (NCEF), the American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture of Education (AIA-CAE) and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) integrate safety and security designs for educational environments to prevent violence; and WHEREAS according to a Reuters' tally, in the wake of the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people, at least 10 U.S. states have introduced measures to increase funding for hardening of school buildings and campuses, add resource officers and increase mental health services; and WHEREAS Governor Snyder, as part of Michigan's school safety initiatives, includes funding for immediate and long-term, comprehensive improvements to school facilities, to secure schools that require basic security upgrades and to provide school safety grants to strengthen buildings, improve lock systems and upgrade communications; and WHEREAS the Oakland County Sheriff's Office supports legislation to increase school safety measures and funding to harden security at all schools — including exits, entrances, hallways, classroom doors with locks, magnetometers, door reinforcements and to create single points of entry at schools and other comprehensive initiatives; and WHEREAS a secure and protective school environment is vital to the health and emotional well-being of students, faculty and school staff at all schools in every community; and WHEREAS now, more than ever, Oakland County constituents are demanding leadership from elected leaders at all levels of government on the critical issue of ensuring the security of our children and the prevention of violence in all our schools. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby declares a call to action upon the Michigan legislature to support legislation for the investment to increase school safety measures to harden security at all schools in every community in Oakland County and the State of Michigan. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward copies of this adopted resolution to the Governor of the State of Michigan, the Lt. Governor of the State of Michigan, the Oakland County members of the Michigan congressional delegation, the members of the Oakland County delegation to the Michigan Legislature, the members of the Michigan House Judiciary Committee, the members of the Michigan State Board of Education, the Superintendent of the Michigan Department of Education, and the Superintendent to the Oakland Intermediate School District. Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution. Cbmmitsioner Eileen KowaII District #6 LO-v6Commissioner District # 7.31'4 Commissioner District #117 " Commissioner District # /115— --TTCLAOD Commissioner District # 10—d Commissioner Dis ict d' JLU Commissioner District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District* Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Resolution #18272 July 19, 2018 The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no objections.