As School Security Vendors Bundle the Services, Do They Bungle the Quality?
The Shift From Specialized School Safety Tools to “All-In-One” Platforms or Companies In the school safety marketplace, many security product and technology vendors begin with one strong core service. Hypothetically, it may start with a visitor management platform. Or perhaps a panic alert technology. Maybe it is even emergency management software, tip reporting, or threat […]
From Hard Sell to Soft Sell: The New Playbook for School Security Vendors
School security vendors did not suddenly discover the importance of relationships, climate, and prevention. They discovered a marketing problem. In recent years, the pitches were direct and blunt: School leaders and the media pushed back. Not because safety is not a priority, but because the messaging was: Educators know better. Real school safety is complex, […]
The Death of National School Safety Conferences: Shift to Local Training = Better ROI
Are School Safety Conferences Serving Schools or Selling to Them? For decades, national school safety conferences have been a staple of professional development, drawing educators, administrators, and safety professionals from across the country to high-profile venues promising cutting-edge insights. But the model is showing strain. What was once a content-driven, practitioner-focused experience is increasingly evolving […]
School Safety in the Crosshairs: When Security Vendor Influence Leads to Criminal Charges
How private-equity money, aggressive marketing, and vendor courting of education and school safety leaders are creating ethical and legal minefields Marketing on Steroids in the School Security Industry The school security product and technology industry is operating in hyper-drive, fueled by private-equity money, aggressive marketing, and increasingly sophisticated lobbying efforts aimed at legislators and funding […]
School Safety Product and Technology Decision Checklist: An independent school security tech decision guide for school leaders
Too many school safety technology decisions are made under pressure—after a tragedy, during a funding window, or in response to persuasive vendor claims. In those moments, it’s easy to confuse action with effectiveness. That’s why I developed the School Safety Product and Technology Decision Checklist—an independent due-diligence resource to help boards, superintendents, and district leaders […]
Missing the mark: ASIS School Security Standard emphasizes physical security products and tech in schools over student mental health, while posing undue liability and financial burdens
Guest article by Chuck Hibbert The American Society for Industrial Security – ASIS International – has developed an in-depth position paper presented as an ASIS School Security Standard for what they describe as K-12 schools. While we can assume most of the ASIS standard contributors have good intentions for school safety, the paper shows a […]
Counter-Argument: Reevaluating the Necessity and Effectiveness of the New ASIS School Security Standard
Guest article by Dr. Stephen Bucheli Bayne While the recent ASIS proposed standards for school security are positioned as a necessary advancement for ensuring safer educational environments, several critical aspects warrant reconsideration: Overemphasis on Physical Security Measures: When implemented properly by local collaboration, physical security measures can enhance the protection of school buildings and their […]
ASIS School Security Standard: The Missing Link with School Safety Standards on Local School Boards
Guest article by Bobby Kipper of The Kipper Group As we continue to witness the growth of proposed national school safety standards for campuses across the United States, we need to examine the cause and impact on local school divisions. While the intentions of all involved are clearly in what is believed to be in […]
Concerns Over ASIS School Security Standard: A Need for Balance Between Physical Security and Behavioral Threat Assessment
Guest article by Jason Russell, Founder and President of Secure Environment Consultants (SEC). The recently released school security standard developed by ASIS (American Society for Industrial Security) has prompted concern among educators and mental health professionals due to its heavy focus on physical security measures like cameras, locks, fences, and panic buttons, while offering comparatively […]
ASIS School Security Standard: Heavy on security hardware, products, and technology mandates — and heavy on potential financial and liability burdens for school leaders.
Are you a superintendent, school board member, or principal who does not want to be blindsided by school security mandates, financial burdens, and potential liability? If so, you will want to learn about a new maneuver, largely driven and influenced by security consultants and vendors, to create a “school security standard” that has potentially significant […]