A new grand jury report applauds the efforts of Santa Barbara County’s schools to prepare for the potential for mass shootings, but recommends additional steps.
The Santa Barbara County grand jury is calling for all middle, junior, and high schools to have school resource officers, who are sworn police officers or sheriff’s deputies. The panel says schools need to tighten access by requiring visitors to have a government-issued ID and to obtain a visitor's pass before accessing campus.
The recommendations also include opening school wellness centers, which can help students struggling with bullying and mental health issues.
The panel also recommends that all school administrators be required to attend the school safety symposiums hosted by the Santa Barbara County Education Office.
