The Changing Role of Teachers in School Safety: How Collaboration Creates Hope

Introduction 

Today, educators face responsibilities that feel far removed from their original calling, and that shift carries an emotional toll. Jill Lemond, former educator, recently shared a candid reflection: 

“At the end of my teaching career, I started to have mixed feelings. I was thinking, “This is not why I chose this job. I don’t want to think about having a bat next to my desk and why I might need to use it.” 

Instead of focusing solely on academics and student development, educators are now expected to be prepared for scenarios that were once unimaginable in a school setting. As Jill notes, “It’s a mismatch of skills to what we’re having to do in our schools right now.” 

Operational Challenges of Implementing School Security

Implementing new security measures can be disruptive, and Paul Damico, Chief Officer of Safety, Security, and Risk Management at School District of Manatee County, is candid about the realities: 

“It’s not always fun to put in these security measures. Sometimes it changes where you have to park in the morning or the way you go about your business. Teachers want to go in the side door… but you have to come through the front. Checking in and knowing who’s in school is important nowadays.” 

Yet, amid these challenges, there is hope. Schools that embrace safety as part of their culture, rather than a checklist, are finding ways to support teachers and students alike. 

Two Keys to School Safety: 

• Repeatedly train both staff and students on what to do in real-world situations 
• Communication among all groups that utilize campus buildings 

 “The key to this whole thing is this: it’s got to be that safety is part of the culture,” says Damico. “That’s the key to this school safety day and night… Training and repetition is the key. If people know what to do… not just drills, but tabletop exercises and a lot of different things.” 

Students are stepping up as partners in this effort. Students voices are, after all, critical to the culture of a school.  After a tragedy in Oxford, Lemond noted, “What we heard from the students is that they wanted to be part of these safety discussions. It felt empowering to them to know what to do, to be involved in tabletops, to be involved in drills.” 

Teachers, Damico reminds us, are at the heart of any emergency response: “They’re the first responder. If you think about it, who’s there? They are.” 

And schools aren’t alone. Communities are joining in, with parents raising their voices and supporting safety initiatives. These collaborative efforts are producing real outcomes. Districts that prioritize safety culture and community engagement report stronger preparedness. 

Steps Towards a Culture of Safety in Your School: 

1. Acknowledgement of the emotional toll 
2. Engage your students on proposed updates to the security strategy 
3. Leverage community strength to help with implementation of new layers 

Our recent webinar, “It’s Time to Protect Our Teachers: Advanced School Security Strategies,” brought together experts and practitioners to address the urgent need for layered security in schools.