HAMPTON, Va. — At a school safety summit held Tuesday at the Hampton Roads Convention Center, Attorney General Jason Miyares touched on a variety of topics.
Miyares discussed training school administrators to recognize when a student is struggling and may act out. He also mentioned other resources in place, specifically our kids' first line of defense - school resource officers. He's pushing to get more of them into Virginia schools.
“They’re an incredible resource for our kids," said Miyares. "They’re an incredible way to make sure schools are a safe haven for our kids.”
Anita Webb, a security officer for Chesapeake Schools, attended the summit. She said the focus was on communicating with the youth and making sure they are aware of consequences.
“I think you can start at adolescence and lead them in a way that they should go and they’re more likely to listen,” said Webb.
Miyares also touched on the "Virginia Rules" program, which is geared towards teens learning Virginia law and being good citizens. He updated the program for the first time in several years, and is adding new school safety curriculum to it.
He also discussed his stance on cell phones in the hands of kids, especially in schools.
"It's the constant pressure to update on your social media that’s distracting from school. I would encourage all schools to consider a blanket ban on using a cell phone during a class period, during a school day,” said Miyares.
The Attorney General also talked about his One Pill Can Kill campaign and Operation Ceasefire.
