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Senate Select Committee on Violence in Schools & School Security, Root Causes of Violence in Schools July 18, 2018

Senate Select Committee on Violence in Schools & School Security. Written Testimony of Morgan Craven, Texas Appleseed. EXCERPT: Following the tragedy in Parkland, Florida our organizations began to hear story after story of children, some as young as 10 years old, being arrested in their schools and referred to juvenile probation for behaviors that school officials and law enforcement were categorizing as “Terroristic Threat” and “Exhibition of Firearms.” ... In many of the cases we were hearing about there was no substantive threat made. Sometimes kids were expressing emotions like anger, fear, or frustration in improper, but age-appropriate, ways or ways that are a manifestation of a disability. Sometimes kids were just saying insensitive things or make terrible jokes.

Senate Select Committee on Violence in Schools & School Security, Summary of Oral Testimony, School Security Options and Resources June 12, 2018

Senate Select Committee on Violence in Schools & School Security. Summary of Oral Testimony of Morgan Craven, Texas Appleseed. OPENING EXCERPT: The recent school shootings in Parkland, Florida and Santa Fe, Texas, have lead to concerns from students, parents, and educators regarding campus safety issues. Unfortunately, some of the responses to these concerns have included bringing back harmful zero tolerance policies and increasing the presence of law enforcement in schools. While this might feel like an appropriate solution in the moment, research shows that these approaches can actually harm students and campus climates, rather than keep schools safe.

Letter to Governor Abbott in Response to His School and Firearm Safety Action Plan June 6, 2018

Opening Paragraph: Dear Governor Abbott, Tragedies like the shooting at Santa Fe High School are traumatic and terrifying for the students, educators, and families who are directly impacted by the violence, and for the many people who care about young people. We, like you, are concerned with the safety and wellbeing of Texas students. Also like you, we want to make sure that all children in Texas schools receive an excellent education, are guided and supported by adults who care about them, and feel safe and secure when they enter the school building. Because we share these common and important goals, we write with concerns related to some of the proposals in your School and Firearm Safety Action Plan, and hope that you will reconsider some of the priorities you have identified for immediate funding. Signed by: Texas Appleseed, Children’s Defense Fund—Texas, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., and MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund)