PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona’s top education official is calling for lawmakers to prioritize more funding for school safety in light of disturbing findings at a south Phoenix school.
Last week, two students were arrested after a gun was found at Sunland STEAM Academy, located near 7th and Southern avenues.
The incident caused a brief lockdown at the school as police recovered the gun. Both of the boys were booked into the juvenile court center and are facing charges, police said.
After the events at Sunland, Superintendent Tom Horne called for more funding for Arizona’s school safety program in the upcoming state budget. Horne has been vocal about the need for armed officers on campus.
The program supports the costs needed to have school resource officers, juvenile probation officers, school safety officers, counselors and social workers on campus. Arizona public and charter schools can apply for funding through the Arizona Department of Education.
“My biggest fear is that a maniac with a gun shoots up a school, killing or wounding children and adults as has happened in other states. For the upcoming state budget, the legislature and Governor are going to consider added funding for the highly successful School Safety Program so we can add more officers on campuses. They must do so. The need is clearly there, and we must have safe schools in Arizona,” Horne shared in a written statement.
Arizona’s school safety program relies on state dollars. The superintendent says current funding pays for nearly 500 counselors, school resource and safety officers at over 1,000 Arizona schools.
Horne adds that $103 million has been requested by districts and charters regarding the school safety program, and more requests are expected over the next month. If granted, the $103 million could fund over 700 positions for both officers and counselors, according to the superintendent.
“The high number of requests for money to pay for officers and counselors speaks volumes to the concerns school leaders have about campus safety. As last week’s incident in Phoenix shows, the need for officers is great. The legislature and Governor must not fail in their efforts to find the resources schools need to protect innocent lives,” Horne added.
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