Maldonado Calls for an Immediate Review of Wyoming Schools Safety Protocols

In light of the recent tragic event in Uvalde, Texas, candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Sergio Maldonado is calling for an immediate review of every Wyoming school district’s practices and procedures to keep Wyoming children safe in school.

In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting tragedy, then Governor Matt Mead appointed a School Safety Task Force to find ways to make Wyoming’s schools safer and to develop crisis management procedures. The Task Force came back with recommendations for improvements including more police officers on site, more secure buildings, statewide standards on school security and drills for situations involving a shooter. While some of these recommendations were heeded many were not fully funded.

 “Wyoming schools must be safe for every student,” Mr. Maldonado says. “Every child deserves a great education, and every parent deserves to see their child getting off the bus after a safe day in the classroom. I am calling for the Wyoming Department of Education to use this summer to inspect every school to assure that the building is hardened to prevent entry from potential attackers and appropriate procedures are in place for a coordinated response from law enforcement and school officials. As the facts unfold in Uvalde we see safety procedures ignored and crisis response severely inadequate. The time to act is now before disaster strikes.”

A search of the Wyoming Department of Education website’s Health and Safety page shows little guidance and few resources. Wyoming’s students and parents deserve better.