AUSTIN, Texas — On a warm November day at Barton Creek Elementary School, former Austin police officer Vanessa Bremner patrols the hallways, classrooms, and grounds. Now a full-time security guard for the school district, Bremner's presence is a stark reminder of the changing landscape of school safety in Texas.
Behind the friendly interactions with students lies a serious law enforcement professional.
"My sole responsibility is to protect all of these, 515 children, and all of the staff," Bremner said. "I hope that it's always the high fives and the hugs and the interactions with kids and the good stuff. But, we know ... what society is now, and we're trained to do what we have to do in the event that it does happen."
From simple duties like dropping in on a class taught entirely in Spanish, to making sure all outside doors are locked, they're all in a day's work.
The heightened security measures come in response to the tragic 2022 Uvalde school shooting, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 students and two teachers. This incident prompted sweeping school safety legislation in Texas, allocating nearly $1.5 billion for improvements.
The new law provides funding for silent panic buttons in classrooms. It also mandates active shooter plans, mental health training, and an armed guard on every campus during school hours.
However, school administrators argue that the allocated funds are insufficient, particularly for hiring qualified armed security personnel.
"What I will tell you just in the I-35 corridor where we live, is that all these agencies are competing for the same one officer to come to their agencies," said Jeri Skrocki, chief safety and security officer for Hays CISD.
Like many in Texas, Hays CISD is looking for the Texas legislature to give more money to schools to hire school guards. Though the question of where they will find those guards remains unsolved.
The challenge of securing schools comes amid a troubling trend of increased violence in U.S. educational institutions. Through Nov. 11 this year, 76 school shootings have been reported nationwide.
Uncounted is the number of threats issued on social media that can disrupt classes, a problem that has plagued Austin-area schools this fall.
Meanwhile at Barton Creek Elementary, a delicate balance between maintaining a nurturing learning environment and the harsh reality of making sure the school – like all Texas schools – remains safe and secure.
"These children just fill my heart every single day. And I'm glad that I'm here to protect them," Bremner said.