Bills on school safety await final approval from Michigan lawmakers
(CBS DETROIT) — A set of bills, including ones introduced in the aftermath of the Oxford High School shooting more than three years ago, are finally awaiting final approval from Michigan lawmakers.
Among other changes, the package of bills would require stricter procedures in response to emergencies at schools and more mental health support for students.
"In the event of an emergency we want to make sure that everyone is on the same page, everyone is using the same terminology, and that there are no mixups," said state Rep. Kelly Breen during testimony last week.
The package of bills also includes requirements for schools to create a behavioral threat assessment protocol.
"Oxford had a threat assessment policy; it was not implemented, and we've seen the horrible results of that," said Breen.
The House Education Committee voted to pass the bills to the full House late last week. The movement on the bills comes after gun violence survivors and school safety advocates called on the legislature to move the bills.
"We are strongly supportive of tying together school safety with student mental health because the two really are inseparable," said Thomas Morgan, a spokesman for the Michigan Education Association.
However, some lawmakers argued that the package of bills excludes religious schools because members of the clergy aren't considered mental health professionals. That's something Tim Schmig with the Michigan Association of Christian Schools wants to see changed before the final vote.
"So number one, everybody is in favor of school safety," said Schmig. "We believe that a pastor who would be on site, a youth pastor or someone that the parents have entrusted their kids with, should be qualified to be a counselor, not necessarily a mental health professional provided by the state."
Republican state Rep. Donni Steele says she would have liked to see a larger bill package that tackles even more school safety issues, but she says she will vote to pass it.
"I think that we should have paid more attention to safety, kids, schools and less on politics," she said.
The full Michigan House will consider and vote on the bill package later this week.
