President Donald Trump’s early disbanding of a federal school safety board recently assembled to assist higher-level agencies could impact advocacy work for educators, according to at least one member involved in the work.
Tony Montalto, founder of the Gina Rose Montalto Foundation whose daughter died among 16 other students and teachers in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., spoke on the termination of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board. The announcement came just days after Trump’s inauguration that the board, among all external advisory committees, would be disbanded after only meeting once in October 2024.
“I’m disappointed they did this,” Montalto said. “Hopefully they will reconstitute this at least. It’s not a partisan issue.”
The advisory board would have submitted recommendations on evidence-based school safety best practices with the goal of creating supportive environments for schools to the Secretary of Homeland Security and other officials. Board members included experts in school safety, organizations representing parents of elementary and secondary school students, school superintendents, civil and disability rights advocates and organization leaders who oversaw or represented school district administrations.
The School Safety Clearinghouse was formed during Trump’s first administration after the Parkland shooting to put together resources in response to victims’ families who sought solutions to improving school safety.
Montalto said the board unified various the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, Education and Homeland Security to create program efficiencies for schools.
On the local level for school safety, according to Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong, the advisory group’s work might or might not have been effective depending on whether it had a chance to gain traction and have recommendations on ever-changing trends for educators and law enforcement.
“Advisory groups are very good in informing us of things that are taking place,” Furlong said. “It’s difficult to keep up with our kids. They are so talented with social media that becomes so difficult for us to keep on top of, and so we have to continuously evolve many times with the kids — what are these platforms being used? What are the dangers to them?”
Furlong, who works closely with Carson City School District administrators on safety issues when emergencies or threats present, said maintaining purpose and focus at the local, state and federal levels helps prepare districts and schools in security needs.
“I think that very often there is this mad rush to resolve or solve a problem when something tragic happens, but without a really good, thoughtful process and instruction applied, (advisory boards) can fall apart, which, in this case it appears because of the start date,” Furlong said.
There’s also a strong need to maintain a model that offers resources to keep youth on the right path in a community that might include probation or juvenile services that might not always have to include the jails but structure is necessary.
“Kids and juveniles play a big role in how a community thrives,” Furlong said. “In crime, we know that in June, things are going to blow up. We know that in August, September, things are going to blow up … they've been let out to have their fun.
“Now you've written them back into a structured environment. It takes time, usually about a month or two for those kids to settle down into that routine.”
Boards, as part of government entities, also need clear instruction to function and provide the oversight communities need for engagement and in crisis communications, Furlong said.
The sheriff spoke highly of the Carson City School District’s own reporting mechanisms in school incidents, physical security of its campuses, programs to collaborate and train staff and make improvements. The CCSO also provides school resources officers who ensure students are at their desk learning safely, Furlong said
Montalto said the board had a diverse representation from stakeholders who he hoped could bring to the table suggestions for grants the federal government could use to help districts, legislation to pursue and the discussions that should continue. Some of the board’s early work also included speaking with the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center, holding a discussion on educating law enforcement officers about student mental health and school funding.
“I believe we’ve made great progress,” Montalto said. “Some states have made great progress so far. (Florida) has passed at least one law since Parkland, and we’ve been active in other laws.”
Montalto said it’s important to keep the public informed to keep schools safer. On Jan. 24, another school shooting in Nashville, Tenn. occurred. Solomon Henderson, 17, opened fire and shot two classmates, wounding one, killing another and then died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
“I would encourage more people get involved,” Montalto said. “We need to put more pressure on our school districts and state legislators to act properly to keep our schools safe.”