South Windsor School Board Chairman Outlines Impact of Gun Laws on District

While the new gun control legislation that was recently passed by the state legislature has numerous supporters, South Windsor Board of Education Chairman David Joy does not appear to be among them.

Indeed, Joy, speaking at the Board of Education’s meeting on Tuesday evening, said that he agreed with many of the 10 senators and 44 representatives who voted against the measure by stating that “they did not think it would actually make Connecticut safer or that it would have prevented the tragedy in Newtown.”

But Joy wasn’t speaking from a theoretical or political standpoint, noting the several measures contained within the law that affect school districts across the state - including South Windsor’s.

First, Joy noted that a provision in the act permits school boards to offer “mental health first aid” as an “in-service training.”

“I find that language interesting as it is not, thankfully, a requirement that would result in yet another unfunded state mandate,” Joy said.

Still, mental health first aid is one more item added to an already long list of optional in-service trainings that includes The Holocaust and genocide awareness, the Great Famine of Ireland, African-American history, Puerto Rican history, Native American history, personal financial management, domestic violence and teen dating violence, Joy said.

And while that list is optional, there are nine in-service training topics that are required by the state for teachers, Joy said.

Getting back to the law’s provisions, Joy said that there are numerous sections in the law relating to school security. There are four sections that are of particular note to South Windsor, according to Joy, because of the possible elementary school facilities projects that are expected to be addressed in the near future:

• The state is establishing a School Safety Infrastructure Council that will develop school safety standards for school building projects. “For our purposes, it’s important to note that school construction projects reviewed by the state Department of Constructions Services after July 1, 2014 must comply with the standards developed by the Council,” Joy said.

• The bill reauthorizes a school security infrastructure grant program, which sounds great, Joy said. But the program is competitive and is only funded with $15 million in bonds.

• School districts, including South Windsor, will be required to develop an “all-hazards” approach to school security and safety plans for each school. Districts must then submit those plans to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

• The Safe School Climate Committees must also be required to investigate instances of any “disturbing and threatening behavior” that does not otherwise meet the definition of bullying, Joy said.