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State Rep. Will Brock visits Bedford; praises bipartisan school-safety funding
Summary
State Rep. Will Brock attended the meeting to discuss recent bipartisan support for school-safety funding in the Michigan House; board members linked the funding to the district’s plans for SROs and other safety measures.
State Rep. Will Brock attended the Bedford Public Schools meeting and discussed recent action in Lansing to add funds for school safety.
Superintendent Dr. Schultz summarized the state budget impact for the district and said a previously large state safety grant had been cut sharply this year; he noted House Bill 5503 added $125 million to the safety grant pot, which he said raises the total to roughly $150 million, about half of the prior year’s level. "We push hard for this type of funding because we do use these funds for counselors and social workers and other items as well," Dr. Schultz said.
Rep. Will Brock, introduced by the superintendent, described the House vote on the measure as bipartisan and said the chamber vote was 98-11. He emphasized that the allocation supports school resource officers and other safety measures. "We're part of that process," Rep. Brock said, adding that he views school safety and economic stability as legislative priorities.
Board members credited local legwork and said the district moved quickly to use the funding for liaison officers to ensure each campus will have a full-time presence. The board and Rep. Brock discussed the practical benefits of SROs for student safety and daily school activities.
Why it matters: The added state funding is intended to support SROs, counselors and other safety-related staffing and programs; board members said local action followed quickly after the legislative vote.
