Attorney General Josh Kaul (WRN file image)
Wisconsin’s school safety office remains in place, for now. The Office of School Safety and its Speak Up, Speak Out 24 hour tip line remain in place this school year. During a Tuesday news conference at Waukesha Catholic Memorial, Director Trish Kelton said they can make a difference.
“In previous acts of school violence, it often starts with a grievance or an upset,” said Kelton. “We believe that if we resolve those issues early, we can prevent tragedies.”
Attorney General Josh Kaul explained that long term funding for the office remains in doubt.
“We had asked in the current budget for approximately $2.2 million,” said Kaul. “Just to put that in perspective, the state currently has a surplus of about $4 billion. So this is something that we certainly can afford. It’s a matter of priorities.”
For now, the Wisconsin Department of Justice has reallocated $1,340,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to fund the office through the end of 2024.