Education
McCrory creates N.C. Center for Safer Schools
- Staff Writer- Triangle Business Journal
APEX - There is no uniform way school districts in North Carolina pay for public safety.
That was a conclusion of Gov. Pat McCrory when he announced the establishment of the N.C. Center for Safer Schools during a press conference at Apex Middle School Tuesday.
In fact, determining how much the state’s public K-12 schools spend on public safety is a number that is probably not available. Spending on safety comes from a combination of state, district and county budgets, and spending totals are “vastly” different across the state, said Pamela Walker, a spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Public Safety.
This newly established center will fall under the Division of Juvenile Justice, which itself falls under N.C. DPS. Its budget won’t be available until McCrory announces his state budget this week.
Walker said the purpose of the center will be to serve as a sort of clearinghouse or point of contact for safety or resource officers at any of the state’s schools. “We hope to be seen as a resource,” she said.
In a statement at the press conference, McCrory said, “My top priority for public safety in North Carolina is to ensure our children are safe, especially in our schools. It is imperative that we prevent all forms of potential violence. The Center for Safer Schools will develop a comprehensive strategy of best practices throughout the state and country to protect our children, teachers, school administrators and our communities."
