WASHINGTON, D.C. (7News) — D.C. Councilors are set to consider two school safety bills this week, including one that would establish a school safety director for each school.
The School Safety Enhancement Amendment Act of 2023 would require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to create safety guidelines for schools. It would also establish a school safety director at each school as well as a school safety assistant director at each high school.
The safety teams would coordinate with the Metropolitan Police Department.
More than 50 people gathered to discuss this legislation Monday evening at a public safety forum organized by Ward 8 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Salim Adofo, who is also running for D.C. Council.
“No bill in and of itself is going to solve many of the safety problems that we have,” Adofo told 7News. “We have to look at the other systemic issues that we have and the causes, but the bill does help us to get in the mindset of thinking about how we can resolve some of those issues.”
Latisha Chisholm, a concerned parent of three young boys, gave her thoughts on the bill and helped lead a discussion on it.
“Really interested in this idea of acknowledging people as school safety personnel within the building,” she told 7News.
Chisholm is hoping for more community forums like Monday nights to discuss bills like this one. “I hope that this will provide us an opportunity to have a more nuanced conversation,” she said.