General Session

Lessons From the Front:
Issues in School Safety

Gregory Thomas

From Columbine to West Nickel Mines School to Virginia Tech, we've learned that schools are not immune to acts of violence. While some schools have always operated under high security, many others have struggled with the tension between an open, welcoming environment and the heightened focus on security. Gregory Thomas is a nationally recognized expert on school safety, having served as the Deputy Director of Planning and Response at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University and as Executive Director of the Office of School Safety and Planning with the New York City Department of Education. As a result of his work during and after September 11, he served on a select panel of international school safety officials who discussed and implemented strategies to prepare schools for the possibility of terrorist attacks. Gregory has co-authored three books on school safety, including "Freedom from Fear: A Guide to Safety, Preparedness and the Threat of Terrorism."