BRYAN, Texas — School is back in session in the Brazos Valley, and as students head back to class, a new state law will be joining them. Lawmakers say House Bill 3 is going to keep students and their campuses safe.
Krista DeVries, mother of two students, is preparing to send her children off for another school year.
“Safety is definitely a top priority,” DeVries said.
“I think that having at least one armed guard or police officer on each campus will be beneficial for everyone — not just students — but for staff, for teachers, for parents that come into visit.”
While DeVries is a mother of students in Bryan ISD, she is also a former employee. From her experience, the district takes security very important.
“Even if there’s not a police officer on hand right away that you can see, there were always hall monitors and people who are there to ensure safety is in place," DeVries said.
In April, Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3, requiring school districts to place at least one armed officer or employee on each campus.
While districts like Bryan ISD will have security at every middle and high school campus, elementary schools will have a higher presence of protection.
“We are going to have an extra set of eyes and ears on every single one of our elementary school campuses. Those will be private security folks," said Assistant Director of Safety and Security at Bryan ISD, Rich Himmel.
"Once we get them up to speed, fully trained, and integrated into our system, they will be a part of the family here.”
DeVries believes the 2023-2024 school year is going to be a good and safe one for the district and the students.