In Virginia, a school safety task force and their working groups in Chesterfield have been discussing ways to improve safety at public schools. They came up with multiple recommendations that start with school resource officers in every elementary school.
In Pennsylvania, officials in the Pittsburgh Public Schools are exploring a policy change that would allow police officers to carry guns. The request comes from the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Union. The Pittsburgh Public Schools Police Chief told the board that officers need guns to do their jobs. The advocacy group for students and parents believe arming police officers will conflict with the district policy of restorative justice, mediation, and peaceful reconciliation of conflicts.
In North Dakota, Brownells, a national firearm dealer, donated AR-15s and other equipment for school resource officers in the Bismarck Public Schools.
In Indiana, officials in Johnson County are implementing a pilot program called Trust Based Relational Intervention or TBRI. TBRI tackles the issue of mental health and student wellness by teaching social skills and coping skills. Research shows that after implementation of TBRI schools experienced a 68% decrease in office referrals for physical aggression, and an 88% decrease in referrals for verbal aggression.