ATLANTA — Richard Aspinwall is advocating for legislation that aims to enhance safety in schools across Georgia, motivated by the desire to honor the memory of his son. Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, who was a math teacher and football coach, tragically lost his life in a shooting at Apalachee High School in September while attempting to shield his students from harm. Aspinwall remarked on the character of his son, stating, “My son was a stand-up man. I taught him to be that way — fight for the kids.”
On Monday, Aspinwall, alongside his wife Rita, visited the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta to show their backing for a set of initiatives proposed by the state House speaker. These initiatives include the establishment of a statewide database to track disciplinary, mental health, and law enforcement data pertaining to students as a measure to identify those who might pose a risk of violence. This call for shared information arises from concerns that the Barrow County school system was not entirely aware of the warning signs exhibited by the 14-year-old suspect in the shooting.
House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican from Newington, emphasized that the lack of information sharing regarding the student involved in the tragedy significantly contributed to the day’s events. “We know that the failure to transfer and share information regarding the student accused of this horrendous act played a role,” he noted. However, privacy advocates caution that such a data repository could infringe on personal rights, citing evidence from federal law enforcement that suggests it is difficult to predict which students may become violent based solely on existing data.
The legislation proposed by Burns aims to mandate schools to form threat assessment teams comprised of school officials, mental health experts, and law enforcement personnel to evaluate reported threats. He also envisions a system for schools to log threats via an online platform and urges funding for each school district to employ at least one mental health coordinator dedicated to connecting students with counseling services. Although the House Speaker is in favor of the $50 million earmarked by Governor Brian Kemp for school security improvements, he advocates for additional funds to support the creation of the proposed database and mental health coordinators.
Governor Kemp’s funding proposal includes a modest increase intended to facilitate the hiring of additional school psychologists; however, it lacks provisions for further counselor, social worker, and mental health service positions. The proposed $50 million would supplement the already allocated $109 million for schools in the current state budget.
In addition, a couple of Senate bills also aim to enhance information sharing among school systems. Senate Bill 61, introduced by Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming, seeks to ensure that school records are transferred within a ten-day period during student relocations and demands that juvenile justice and child welfare agencies inform schools about students under electronic monitoring or house confinement. Meanwhile, Senate Bill 54, spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones of Decatur, intends to establish a threat database and mandates mental health services for students flagged in this database.
The proposed database would fall under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, which is already providing voluntary threat assessment training for school districts. Efforts in Florida to establish a similar database initially faced hurdles due to federal privacy regulations that prevent the public disclosure of health and educational records. House Education Committee Chairman Chris Erwin, a Republican from Homer, conveyed that extensive reviews indicate that Georgia should be able to share the necessary information if appropriately managed.
In light of the Apalachee shooting, Georgia lawmakers are also exploring responses to the increasing number of threats and hoaxes reported in its wake. The House Republican proposal includes mandatory suspensions for any student making threats until both law enforcement and school authorities evaluate their ability to return. Dolezal’s bill suggests that making terroristic threats should be classified as a felony, with those aged 13 to 16 potentially facing charges in adult court, although these cases could be moved to juvenile court upon agreement from both district attorneys and judges.
Additionally, there is support among Republican senators for a requirement that all school systems equip their staff with wearable panic alarm systems. This measure is based on the successful implementation of such devices during the Apalachee incident, which enabled rapid communication of danger. Burns is also in favor of providing tax incentives for the purchase of gun safes or locks, while Democrats in both the House and Senate advocate for legislation mandating gun storage when children are present. It has come to light that Colin Gray, the father of the accused shooter Colt Gray, provided his son access to an assault-style rifle, despite having knowledge or reason to believe his son posed a danger to others.
“We want to prevent people from doing these irresponsible things in the first place,” commented state Rep. Michelle Au, a Democrat from Johns Creek.
