I have many thoughts, but and I'd like to preface it by saying that it's not a a large amount or a large a large mass or a large quantity. I would prefer to use the term proliferation, because that is what it is in industry. That's what I've seen in the last few years at least, and increasing to do so as technology changes. But the proliferation of experts in the k to twelve security domain can be attributed to the growing complexity of challenges just faced every day by schools. As the schools become more technologically integrated, the scope of security expands from physical safety to include cybersecurity, data protection, and psychological safety. I believe that the challenge for k to twelve institutions is discerning genuine expertise from opportunistic entities in a market that's just completely saturated with consultants and solutions, and people and companies claiming that they have the sole solution to solving a school safety in the country. That being said, it necessitates a careful vetting process within this, and that is something that's one hundred percent lacking. And mainly because the standardized certifications and guidelines and national best practices, all those are great, but there's actually no k through twelve national security whatsoever in this country. So that's the biggest problem right there. School safety and security is a two to three billion dollar unregulated industry. Expert is defined as a person who has comprehensive and authoritative knowledge or skills in an area. Comprehensive knowledge in the k to twelve safety and security space should include physical security, knowing of public education law, to include FAPE, IDEA, five zero four, special education, as well as state laws directly related to education. Further, risk management and OSHA, code compliance including fire and buildings, emergency management, physical and behavioral threat assessments, policy creation, project management, and relationships and team building to name a few. Authoritative is defined as possessing recognized or evident authority or experience. In order to be an expert by definition, you must have both. The lack of a national standard or even a state level comprehensive certification or national association representing school safety directors leads us down a path where anyone can claim to themselves to be an expert in school safety and security. There are limited number of experts in the k to twelve space. There are a great number of experts in certain areas within the space, but few have an all hazards and safety and security approach as it relates to being an expert. It is also worth noting, this is a fairly new space with few peer reviewed evidence based solutions. This lack of data and specific comprehensive research leads to the wild, wild west atmosphere that we currently have. Additionally, I would warn that the term expert can lead to one to believe that they have reached the pinnacle of their knowledge. Since the k to twelve space is always is very large and has so many tentacles, it requires a lifelong learning approach. If you wake up every day as a four, there's always room to grow. If you wake up as an eight or a ten, there's very little room for improvement. Unfortunately, what I've seen and what many others can attest to is that the individuals making these decisions have no prior background, education, or experience to do so. It's crucial for a superintendent, school board, or a CFO to consider a wide range of factors, including, you know, the individual's experience, the company's experience in the k twelve sector, their understanding of the unique security challenges that are faced by schools and, ultimately, their ability to provide, you know, comprehensive security based solutions that address both a physical and psychological mental health, threats. Ultimately, decision makers should also inquire about the entities altogether. One being in that, you know, are they transparent about their methods and their business practices? They should also have the ability to provide references from other schools or districts that they're currently helping. That way, they can help validate the claims of expertise ultimately made by the individuals or companies within the entire k to twelve security space. When companies are reluctant to do so, that was, what would be referred to as a red flag or a clue that perhaps their business practices are not ethical. Every k to twelve school district needs to have a dedicated safety and security director. This person needs to own school safety within the district. The placement of that person in the structure of the organization is just as important as the selection process. The director should report directly to the superintendent. If that's not possible, no more than one level down. The director needs unencumbered access to the superintendent. If we're going to tell our community safety and security is our number one priority, somebody must own it. Defining the role is very important. What will they be overseeing? Physical security, behavioral threat assessments, insider threat investigations, emergency management, student behaviors, cybersecurity? This will drive the selection of the right person. Many safety and security directors oversee physical security, emergency management, and liaise with our local public safety partners. They are contributors in spaces such as cybersecurity, mental health, behavioral threat assessment, risk management, and student behaviors. However, most do not oversee or supervise these functions. As it relates to experts, there are a number of different types. Court experts are persons who are determined by a judge to have knowledge, skills, experience, or education and can testify to their opinion in court. Being an expert witness is not a seal of approval nor are all expert witnesses the same. Remember, a person can be an expert witness with education only. Further, an expert witness is in one court may not be in the next. The next is self proclaimed. Usually, this is a marketing tactic based upon claims of experience. There is no agreed upon standard for what this type of an expert is. The next are vendor experts. These are solution providers who know their product and how to integrate them. This does not mean that they are experts in all things k to twelve safety and security. Subject matter experts have a deep knowledge of a highly specific topic, for example, physical security or adolescent psychological services. Remember, school security has many different topics, many different compartments. Most SMEs have a deep knowledge of only one or two things. Final thoughts on vendors. Products should sell themselves. Vendors who use high pressure sales tactics, short lived sales, badgering communication styles, or use state houses to require their solution should be viewed with great pause. Vendors who showcase what appear to be government seals of approval or certifications is something like a UL seal of approval deserve further research. Lastly, being well aware of sales pitches, which lead with irrelevant prior experiences, jobs, or assignments. Watch for referrals or experience in areas that are not synonymous with k in the k to twelve space. Find partners whose why is protecting our nation's treasures. Find partners whose products sell themselves, whose customer service is top notch. Find partners who you believe are in it for the long game, not profits and selling off to a bigger company. Be cautious of the experts. Instead, explore your motivations and organizational ethics. There's a host of people that claim that they're experts when they're they're really not. Most quiet professionals and people with the most experience that I've met in my life actually don't come out and tell you that. They don't list it on their website. They don't promote it on LinkedIn. They don't tell other people or brag about what they've done or accomplished. Their actions speak louder than words. In this and in the k through twelve secondurity space, what I have been seeing is that the experts are no more than just a facade. And I don't wanna generalize it and say that that's not the case, but, ultimately, the of school security professionals can vary greatly. What my background is versus two other guys is completely different and not negating anyone's experience or training. But I don't believe that anyone can truly become an expert because you should be learning as an adult, the remainder of your life. And I tell my kids right now, you should try and learn something new every single day. If it's hard, definitely do it because it's gonna make you a better person. Getting back on track. Factors that, associate to these experts, what they should have. Right? Attributes, experience with school specific security, emergency preparedness, understanding of age appropriate security measures are are also crucial for effectiveness. Being able to talk about very basic things. I've had conversations with people in school safety and security who don't know what the acronym EOP stands for, which I find to be very, alarming. Emergency operation plans. A true school security expert should have a background that includes specific areas of knowledge. For instance, school specific experience, understanding of unique needs in the educational environment. What one school needs might not be what another one needs in the same district. Understanding that there are specific needs for each and every school. One size does not fit all. Experience in emergency preparedness, knowledge of crisis management, response plans, how to communicate with external first responder units, etcetera. Technical knowledge, that's a huge one. Familiarity with the multiple security systems in place in schools and the technologies that are emerging or have yet to be used within the environment. Practical experience, experience implementing these programs, experience being a practitioner. Going back to how, you know, these companies should be vetted by superintendent school board or a CFO. You wanna see these things. You wanna have people you can talk to that can also verify that, yes, what they say they can do, they can do, they have done, and they're continuing to do. Here's a lift a list of their references, professional, nonprofessional, personal, etcetera. Going back to the attributes, probably, ultimately, one of my biggest is communication skills. The ability to work multiple stakeholders. I know very smart people who have advanced degrees, PhDs, some doctors who, really don't have the way to talk to people. They couldn't talk themselves out of a wet paper bag if they wanted to. And I mean that respectfully and kind of being a critic. You don't want those people in charge of school safety and security. You want someone who's calm and you ask, you know, how is that vetted? And that's vetted through talking to people, exactly doing what that, bullet point is, the attributes, having effective communication skills. You have to be able to talk to people, period, especially in the k through twelve space. From the lowest level in kindergarten to the highest level as a superintendent, and in some cases, you know, state policymakers. You have to be able to have that background and the ability to do that, which means you've had to had to do that in the past. Another one is, professional development. Going back to my comment about my kids, you should always try and be learning what is out there, what's new, what's emerging, what's happening in k through twelve secondurity with regard to companies lobbying for their efforts to make their technologies and solutions to sole solutions in the states, which can carry on to another podcast and or discussion about the ethics behind, the lobbying that companies within the k to twelve security space are currently doing. I guess to leave it off, ultimately, because there are no k through twelve national standards coupled with a school safety industry being largely un unregulated, the qualifications of individuals and companies is one to be in question, which leads to discussing the so called experts over and over again. What's their background? Why are they claiming that they're experts? Where did they come from? Are they an ethical company? Are they in the space space for the right reason? Are they doing the right things? Is this technology efficient? Is it useful? Can you call references? Can you talk to other people who have implemented this? Again, a lot of this goes back to the fact that because this space is so unregulated, anytime there's an in, incident in our country or there's a mass shooting at a school facility, these vendors will reach out to school safety directors and just blast, school boards saying that they have the solution to fix their problems. It is those companies who are really only in it for the money. But, ultimately, I I do wanna leave off with saying that, providing the country with a path forward, putting the onus on one person in each district with a safety director school safety security director, it puts the onus on them to make things happen. It puts a qualified individual in that spot who can make the determinations, who can appropriate budget for a CFO and guide a superintendent to that path towards a safer school without having some sort of standardization, without holding people accountable, for their actions and more experts to arise in this field, it's gonna continue to happen, and it's gonna continue to polarize this industry. Depending on the job description, that will drive what you're looking for. You may look for somebody with experience in law enforcement, emergency management, security, or other public safety, depending on what's appropriate. However, the person's ability to communicate, build teams and consensus, collaborate, ask questions, learn, research, and understand balance is likely even more important or at the very least just as important as the candidate's previous experiences.
