West Greene School District awarded grant to prevent school violence
West Greene School District is one of four Western Pennsylvania districts to receive grant funding for the enhancement of school safety, the Department of Justice announced Monday.
The district will receive nearly $75,000 through the Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act. Neighboring Yough School District in Westmoreland County was awarded $99,380.
The grants are funded through the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a news release. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
The DOJ-approved list of grant money uses includes improving campus security, violence prevention efforts and education and training for school students and staff.
As of last Monday, the United States has 34 school shootings in 2021. At the beginning of December, a post that originated on the social media platform TikTok threatened violence at schools nationwide, causing districts locally and across the country to increase security or move to remote learning for the day.
Local districts have in recent years pushed the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign. Funds allocated to WGSD will help create a safer learning environment for staff and students in Greene County.
The STOP School Violence Act funds may be used to help students and teachers identify, respond to and help prevent violence at school.