School safety plans rely on ‘chewing gum, duct tape and hope.’ Lawmakers vow to act.

Problem: Charter schools are being left unprotected because of failures to ensure a school safety officer is stationed on campuses. Also districts don’t have contingency plans for officers who are out sick, on vacation or are tending to other matters, such as court hearings. The grand jury wrote, “Many of the last second ‘plans’ submitted by the districts appear to be temporary fixes held together with nothing more than chewing gum, duct tape and hope.”