School Safety
As a mother of four children who attend Forsyth County Schools, school safety is one of my top priorities.
I've already made progress on school safety.
- Our superintendent and sheriff took my advice and reminded parents about safe firearm storage
- I’ve spoken to lawmakers at the Georgia State Capitol about common-sense gun laws
- Moms Demand Action endorsed me for my stance on school safety
- I toured the Forsyth County Schools Safety Headquarters to learn about the processes and systems we have in place, including:
Panic buttons in every classroom that alert the police of an emergency
Video camera surveillance of every door in every school that is constantly monitored
Ability to lock or unlock doors in every school from School Safety Headquarters. Not only does this keep dangerous people out of our schools, but it also allows police quick access inside a school in an emergency without looking for a key.
In terms of school safety improvements, I'd like to see:
- More school counselors to help identify and support students with mental illness. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of one guidance counselor to 250 students. We currently have one guidance counselor to 400 students.
- More Student Advocacy Specialists (SAS). These highly-trained individuals offer 24/7 support to students in a mental health crisis. We currently only have 10 SAS for over 55,000 students.
- Our School Board working with lawmakers to pass common-sense firearm safety laws and obtain funding for additional school safety features.
- Continued training for School Resource Officers (SROs). I respect our SROs and the way they keep students safe. These men and women are also a part of the school family and provide positive examples of law enforcement to our students of all ages. I support SROs having continued training so they understand how to engage with all different types of students, including those with special needs, such as autism.
If I'm elected to the School Board, I will always listen to parents, teachers, and students to understand what policies and procedures they'd like in place, and I will advocate for them.
See how I've already made progress on school safety by watching the video below and reading my op-ed in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. If you have additional questions, please reach out at jessicaflemingforga@gmail.com
@jessicaflemingforga Once again, my opponent is spreading lies about me instead of sharing her own policies and positions. For a Board of Education race, we should have productive, respectful conversations instead of vicious slander and misinformation. Parents are not looking for lies and culture wars from school board candidates. I hope people can see through her hateful, hurtful attacks and understand that I’m the candidate with integrity that will be kind to all students, parents, families and community members. #schoolboard ♬ original sound - Jessica Fleming for GA