KENOSHA, Wis. — With recent school threats raising concerns among parents and staff, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of School Safety (OSS) held a press conference Tuesday to discuss resources available to schools during crises.
Kaul emphasized Kenosha’s leadership in school safety, crediting local law enforcement and school officials for developing a model now being used across the state.
"The residents of Kenosha should know and should be proud to know that schools here, as well as law enforcement, take school safety issues incredibly seriously," Kaul said. "Kenosha has really developed a model that has been a leader not just locally but throughout the state."
OSS works with schools to prepare for crises, respond effectively, and support recovery.
Trish Kilpin, executive director of OSS, announced that Kenosha will host a two-day training course for mental health professionals, including school psychologists, social workers, and counselors.
"To make sure that there’s a readiness as crisis events occur, that they’re able to respond in evidence-informed ways that reduce trauma impact and do no harm," Kilpin said.
Superintendent Jeff Weiss said that the past safety incident in November at Roosevelt Elementary—swift action and preparedness helped ensure no injuries.
Watch: Keeping kids safe: Wisconsin AG, DOJ address school safety resources in Kenosha
"Fortunately, nobody was injured, nobody was harmed during that event, but we were prepared for it because we had the support of the Office of School Safety with us as well as our first responders," Weiss said.
Elizabeth Murillo, a Kenosha parent, said that she’s grateful for these efforts but still worries about her child’s safety.
"I think in general I have anxiety just because you can only helicopter so much," Murillo said. "The staff are doing what they need to let people in and out of the building, the system has always been in place. I think it's just, people get comfortable so, that was definitely a sharp reminder of what we need to do to keep our children safe."
State leaders said that the goal is to build a school environment where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn, and that preparation starts now.
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