It is vital to inform parents safety issues at schools

As a father, I understand the concern that comes with sending your child off to school each day. We trust that our schools are doing everything they can to keep students safe. But when serious incidents happen, especially those involving weapons, families deserve to be informed quickly and directly.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t always been the case in Pennsylvania. Too often, parents and school staff learn about dangerous situations days or even weeks after they occur, sometimes through the media instead of from the school itself. That kind of delay doesn’t just create confusion; it undermines trust and puts safety at risk.

That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 246, which was signed into law on Nov. 6 as Act 44 of 2026. This new law requires schools to notify parents, guardians, and school employees within 24 hours whenever a weapon is brought onto school property, a school bus, or to a school-sponsored event.

Before this law, schools were only required to report such incidents to the Department of Education if the student was expelled, and even then, they didn’t have to explain that the expulsion involved a weapon. That meant many serious situations and important details went unreported to the very people who needed to know, families and staff.

The legislation was introduced after a troubling incident in the Parkland Area School District in April 2023. A fourth grade student brought a knife to school with the intent of harming another child. The public didn’t learn about it until a week later, when the Pennsylvania State Police issued a report. That delay could have had serious consequences, and it’s not an isolated case.

In Allentown, William Allen High School went into lockdown in September 2022 after reports of gunfire at a nearby park. It was later revealed that a 14-year-old student had entered the school with a loaded semi-automatic handgun. Parents weren’t told the full story until days later.

These examples reflect a broader pattern of delayed or incomplete communication that undermines trust between schools and the communities they serve. Act 44 is designed to change that.

The law doesn’t dictate how schools must communicate. It gives districts flexibility to use the method most likely to reach parents and staff; whether that’s a phone call, text, email or another form of outreach. What matters is that the message gets out quickly and clearly.

This isn’t about blaming teachers or administrators. I served on the Parkland School Board, and I know how committed the vast majority of our educators are. This is about giving parents the information they need to protect and support their children. It’s about restoring trust and ensuring that schools are accountable to the communities they serve.

I’m proud that Act 44 passed with overwhelming bipartisan support: 48–2 in the Senate and 202–1 in the House. That kind of unity is rare, and it shows that school safety is something we can all agree on. When schools communicate openly and promptly, they build trust, and they make our communities safer.

Transparency is the foundation of accountability. And accountability is the first step toward safer schools. This law is a step in the right direction, but there’s more work to do. We need to continue strengthening school safety and ensure that parents are treated as partners in their children’s education, not as afterthoughts.

Last session we made a drastic improvement to school security by requiring school security personnel in each district. However, the one person per district requirement can leave many buildings and students unprotected. To address the gaps in security coverage, I will be introducing legislation requiring security personnel be hired on a per building basis. Many parents don’t realize that their district’s security officer could be stationed 20 minutes away from their child. That’s unacceptable.

When it comes to our kids, providing a safe environment for them to learn is paramount. Families deserve to know what’s happening in their schools. They deserve honesty. They deserve action.

Pennsylvania is leading the way.

This is a contributed opinion column. State Sen. Jarrett Coleman represents Pennsylvania’s 16th Senate District, which includes parts of Lehigh and Bucks counties. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com/opinions.