4 February 9-15, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents LIMIT DOORS, NOT GUNS. Fort Worth lawmaker seeks to whittle Texas school entryways to one. BY SIMONE CARTER F or many politicians and school district officials, last May’s shooting in Uvalde highlighted the need to improve campus safety. Now, a Fort Worth fresh- man lawmaker is pushing for a law he ar- gues would do just that. Republican state Rep. Nate Schatzline filed a bill that would mandate single-point entryways in schools. Under House Bill 1370, any additional external doors would be required to stay closed and locked, with vio- lators risking a state jail felony. “This will make our schools safer by lim- iting the access points, increase the level of accountability for people who put children at risk by not acting in accordance with this statute, and give more rights back to par- ents,” Schatzline recently said in a statement posted to Twitter. On May 24, an 18-year-old gunman en- tered Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School through a back door and killed 19 students and two teachers. Officials initially claimed the door had been propped open shortly be- fore the slayings. Investigators later learned that it had been closed prior to the gunfire but didn’t lock. Following Uvalde, gun reform advocates decried firearms as the problem. Certain Second Amendment supporters, though, have instead pointed to societal issues rang- ing from unchecked mental illness to father- less homes. The idea of requiring single-door school- houses has found support among prominent GOP politicians, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and even former President Donald Trump. Detrac- tors, meanwhile, have cast doubt on the effi- cacy and practicality of such a move. Days after Uvalde, the Texas Tribune re- ported that for larger campuses, it could take hours for thousands of students and employees to enter and exit through a single entry. Some districts might also have schools with multiple buildings and portables, fur- ther complicating the process. Older district buildings may face renova- tions under a law like the one Schatzline proposed, costing local taxpayers, per the Tribune. And critics have pointed out that it’s important for more than one door to be available in the instance of an emergency, such as a fire. (Schatzline’s bill states that re- sponding to an emergency situation can be a “defense to prosecution” for some, including parents and certain personnel.) Nicole Golden, executive director of Texas Gun Sense, said via email that most Texans agree on “common sense measures” to safeguard against gun violence in schools and communities. Such proposals include implementing a “stronger vetting process for purchase of semi-automatic rifles (such as raising the age of purchase to 21),” man- dated background checks and red flag laws. It could also mean greater investments in vi- olence intervention programs and safe gun storage education. Golden noted that around 4,000 Texans are fatally shot each year. The state’s been home to some of the most well-known mass shootings in recent years, she said. “Our students, educators, and families in our schools and communities deserve a fu- ture free from gun violence,” Golden wrote. “The time to act is now, and we are working tirelessly with our coalition and leaders to steer our policies in the right direction.” The Observer reached out to Schatzline’s office with an interview request but didn’t hear back by publication time. Schatzline has filed another bill aimed at improving school safety. HB 1371 would mandate the on-campus presence of armed, properly trained security officers during normal school hours. Around a decade ago, the Lone Star State rolled out the school marshal program, which lets certain teachers carry guns. Of Texas’ more than 1,200 districts, though, just 84 have signed up, the Texas Tribune re- ported in June. Some North Texas districts have also in- stalled signs touting their preparedness. A photo posted to Reddit shows a placard by Wills Point ISD, located roughly 50 miles east of Dallas, that states staff is “armed, trained and will use whatever force is neces- sary to protect our students.” Kate Keierleber, a spokesperson for the district, said the signs went into place at the beginning of the school year. She said it’s the district’s fifth year under Texas’ guardian program, which allows teachers who are li- censed to carry — and have been thoroughly trained — to bring their weapons to campus. Keierleber added that her district already requires visitors to enter through a main corridor. The other remaining entrances are key-carded and can be accessed only by em- ployees, she said. Other North Texas districts have posted similar notices. Peaster ISD, for instance, in- stalled signs to warn the ill-intended of armed staff, the website Pew reported fol- lowing a 2018 high school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas. Ari Freilich, state policy director for Gif- fords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, wrote via email that his group shares Schat- zline’s goals of improving students’ and teachers’ wellbeing and safety. Still, the idea that Texas educators could face a felony for leaving a door unattended doesn’t sit well with him. Freilich pointed out that state lawmakers have already spent millions on efforts like arming additional personnel and hardening security. The way he sees it, these politicians have yet to hold honest discussions about how to prevent future school shootings. He cited the state’s relatively high rate of gun murders under its current leadership, adding it’s “tragic” that lawmakers would seemingly rather criminalize teachers than pursue more practical reforms. “School security matters,” Freilich wrote. “But it is simply unacceptable to look at the Uvalde massacre and Texas’s gun homicide record and determine the only thing Texas can do to protect kids from gun violence is turn educators into felons and regulate doors.” ▼ CRIME MONKEY WATCH! STOLEN DALLAS ZOO MONKEYS DOING WELL SINCE BEING FOUND. BY KELLY DEARMORE A photo released by the Dallas Police Department prompted a local woman to provide offficers with the tip that led to the recovery of two emperor tamarin monkeys taken from the Dallas Zoo and the arrest of a suspect in the theft. The two monkeys were found in the closet of a house in Lancaster on Jan. 31 and were taken back to the zoo for evaluation by vet- erinarians. The Dallas Morning News reported on Feb. 1 that the daughter of the pastor of the church next to the house called in the tip. The Family Center Church of God in Lan- caster owns the boarded-up house the ani- mals were found in. The pastor’s daughter, Tonya Thomas, told the Morning News that she and mem- bers of her family recognized the man in the photos as someone who had attended the church before, leading them to call the po- lice. According to Thomas, there had been issues with break-ins at the house in the past. A woman going by only the name Tonya, who also said she was affiliated with the Family Center church next to the house where the monkeys were found, provided NBC 5 with a similar account on its Jan. 31 evening broadcast. Dallas Police arrested Davion Irvin, 24, in connection with the theft of two emperor tamarin monkeys, named Bella and Finn. According to the Police Department’s state- ment, Irvin was apprehended following a tip on Feb. 2 that he had been seen at the Dallas Aquarium “near animal exhibits.” Upon responding to the tip, police identi- fied Irvin as he boarded a DART train and fi- nally apprehended him in the 1400 block of Pacific Avenue. According to the department’s statement, Irvin is charged with six counts of animal cruelty (non-livestock), although only five counts are listed in jail records. He is being held in the Dallas County Jail on $25,000 bond. On the afternoon of Feb. 1, the Dallas Zoo posted an update on the monkeys to its social media pages along with a picture of them. “Emperor tamarin monkeys, Bella and Finn, were so happy to snuggle into their nest sack here at the Zoo last night! Our veterinary and animal care teams have said, beyond losing a bit of weight, they show no signs of injury and both started eating and drinking almost im- mediately once the team completed health exams on Tuesday night. We will continue to monitor them closely, but for now, we’re so glad they are safe and back with us,” the Face- book post read. Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images Lawmakers are making rules about entrances but not about gun safety. | UNFAIR PARK | >> p6
