COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY AND INCLUSION IN SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SAFETY PLANNING AND ACQUISITIONS

WHEREAS, the expectation for our schools and colleges is to provide a safe environment in which students can learn; and

WHEREAS, our public schools and colleges continue to be safe havens for our students and staff, shielding all from violence; and

WHEREAS, maintaining that record of safety entails creating and/or improving safety plans that take into account current trends, best practices and the type of equipment/technology available; and

WHEREAS, the most effective safety plans and programs are not only based on proven techniques, tactics and technology, but on student and staff training practice with these techniques, tactics and technology; and

WHEREAS, no school district, higher education campus or work site is the same, and there can be no one-size-fits-all plan or technology; and

WHEREAS, high-profile tragic incidents in recent years have increased marketing and sales efforts for unproven technology and equipment, resulting in unnecessary spending of hundreds of thousands of dollars with ineffective results; and

WHEREAS, the school-security business has escalated to a $5 billion industry post-Newtown; and

WHEREAS, many school systems have made changes to their facilities or security policies, many without thorough consideration of the impact on improving effectiveness; and

WHEREAS, any change to a safe workplace plan should only take place after careful and thorough evaluation of existing plans, programs and equipment by all stakeholders, including experts in the field with no business interest in selling safety or security products or services; and

WHEREAS, reactionary, impulsive unresearched purchases can potentially have negative effects on the effectiveness of the safety program as well as the financial health of the school or college:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers will support affiliates’ efforts to advocate for regular review and evaluation of school and college security and emergency plans to ensure that these plans are consistent with the U.S. Department of Education Guidance, “Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A guide for schools and communities”; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will support and encourage affiliates to work with employers prior to purchasing a product or program to create a thorough review process which includes evidence that the purchase will improve and not disrupt the current safety program; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will support affiliates’ efforts to advocate for laws and regulations that require transparency in the acquisition process, including the disclosure of costs and relationship between suppliers and the school or college buyers; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will encourage affiliates to collaborate with their districts and advocate for the involvement of all stakeholders in the discussion, development and implementation of school/college security programs, and that these stakeholders include teachers, school and college support staff, administrators, law enforcement, parents, community organizations and students; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will support affiliate efforts to develop and provide quality professional development related to school security plans, programs, equipment and technology, and that professional development include evaluation to ensure its quality and relevance; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT provide technical support on best practices for school safety to locals, including research and assessment of prospective security companies, technology, equipment and programs; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will seek the input of affiliate leaders and members to identify and evaluate the best practices in creating and maintaining a safe school/college workplace.