Do parents have the power to make our schools safer?
Yes; parents have the power to persuade their legislators to prioritize school safety!!
Every morning, every parent prays for God to keep their kids safe while they are at school. According to a 2022 survey Homeschooled Children and Reasons for Homeschooling by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the number 1 reason for homeschooling is safety. According to a 2023 NCES study, Parent and Family Involvement in Education safety is one of the top two priorities parents state when they are thinking of switching schools.
Many schools in WV are taking action and Delegate Jonathan Pinson from Mason County proposed a Bill in the most recent Legislative session that would have made all schools in WV safer. According to Delegate Pinson “In today’s world, providing every teacher and school staff member with a wearable panic button is not just common sense—it’s both affordable and essential.
Our state has a critical opportunity to lead on school safety by standing with faculty, students, and parents to ensure our campuses are as secure as possible. When teachers feel safe, students can focus on learning and growing without fear.
A wearable panic button enables staff to instantly signal for help and share their location during emergencies—whether it's a disruption, medical incident, or security threat. These devices can also trigger a school-wide lockdown and alert 911 and first responders immediately.
The devices I’ve seen are small, badge-sized, and worn on a lanyard—just like the ID and access cards most teachers already wear.
Many parents would be surprised to learn that installing these systems school-wide costs a few thousand dollars per school. That’s a small price to pay for a discreet, life-saving tool that gives every educator a direct lifeline in the event of an emergency.”
The Alyssa's Law, named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old student who tragically lost her life during the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, is a legislative measure aimed at enhancing school safety by mandating the installation of silent panic alarms in public schools. These alarms are designed to provide a direct and immediate link to local law enforcement agencies, thereby reducing response times during emergencies. Already New Jersey, Florida, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, and Oklahoma have passed versions of this legislation.
In Texas, the Pittsburg School District bought an alert button for each of their 400 employees. According to Ryan Patton who heads the technology and safety group for Pittsburg ISD, “We had an entry level system for several years but we wanted a more comprehensive system. We made a check list of our ‘wants’ and ‘must haves’, interviewed about a dozen companies and Active Defender was the only safety system that checked off all the boxes. We want to make sure that all of our parents know that their child’s safety is a big priority for us so we are using our social media and facebook applications to educate parents on Active Defender and all of our other layers of student protection”.
But even in states where these alarm systems aren’t required, their use is proving to be a school safety game-changer, superintendents from Kansas and Maine told attendees at the National Conference on Education held by AASA, The School Superintendents Association. And that’s not just for lockdown-level incidents, but also for student and staff health emergencies, behavioral issues and other incidents
Many WV schools are not waiting for the legislation to be passed. Wayne County schools are currently testing the Active Defender system and twelve Christian schools who are members of the West Virginia Christian Education have been using similar systems for several years .
According to Wayne County High School Principal Sarah Stapleton:
"Safety is a paramount priority at Wayne County High School. When we saw the opportunity to pioneer another security layer to keep our students safer, we wanted in. It's not just about keeping students safe, it’s about them knowing that they are safe because when they know it, they learn better. I have spent my entire career helping students learn and nurturing them to reach their highest potential, and when they know we are doing everything that we can to protect them, they will be able to focus more on learning what they need to learn".
According to Dan Edwards, Administrator at Grace Christian school., “Safety is a big priority at Grace. We use several protective layers like cameras, double locked doors and other protocols, and we drill to make sure everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency. Parents prioritize safety; they want their children to not only be safe but also to feel safe so we make sure that students, parents and teachers are always on the same page. It is such a low cost per teacher it was a no-brainer because it has been proven to save lives.
Active Defender is a way for us to differentiate our school. When I speak to parents about safety, I show them the app and they see we are at the next level of safety. They are constantly coming out with new features and each time they train and retrain on how to use it and teach it. I can’t say enough positive things about them”.
According to Dan Brokke, Executive director of West Virginia Christian Education Association. "About five years ago, while serving as the Administrator at Grace Christian School, I was introduced to the Active Defender system shortly after its release. We quickly recognized its potential to add critical layers of protection for our students and staff—and made the decision to implement it right away.
What stood out were the features that went far beyond traditional emergency protocols: real-time mapping, instant communication with first responders, live chat capabilities, situational alerts, and precise geographic location tools. These features fundamentally changed how we approached campus safety. The panic button? That’s the icing on the cake.
Today, close to half of the schools in the WVCEA have invested in Active Defender—and for good reason. It’s a proactive, reliable, and essential part of a school safety strategy that puts student protection first".
Delegate Pinson sums it up best “Let’s make this simple investment in peace of mind—for our teachers, our children, and our future".
Jim Boyte
Jim Boyte is the owner and CEO of Active Defender. Prior to joining Active Defender, he spent decades working for the Department of Defense designing critical location software for all branches of the military.
