Texas bill proposes children be trained to render aid during school shootings
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AUSTIN, Texas (KEYE) — A proposed bill could require students as young as 8 years old to go through training that will teach them how to render aid during a traumatic event, such as a school shooting.
House Bill 1147 looks to alter the age for those who can use “bleeding control stations” in Texas schools. State Representative and bill author Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, D-San Antonio, says she created similar legislation during the 86th legislative session that currently allows seventh graders and older to operate the stations. The San Antonio lawmaker said after the Robb Elementary shooting that killed 19 fourth graders, she felt it was necessary to file the bill to lower the grade level. State Rep. Gervin-Hawkins believes this will allow more access to training that can protect innocent lives.
Cleo Petricek is co-founder of Save Austin Now and the mother of a 9-year-old. She says if House Bill 1147 passes into law, it could help save lives during a mass casualty event.
“We need to be prepared for mass shootings. They are happening and, in my opinion, frequently in this country,” she said.
The legislature would allow third-graders and older to be trained to oversee bleeding stations and give aid, like blood-stopping techniques, to those in need during an emergency. The stations would contain supplies such as chest seals, compression bandages and tourniquets, among other resources.
Dr. Christopher Hansen is a licensed counseling psychologist at Thriveworks in San Antonio.
“If we’ve gotten to the point where we need third-graders to treat traumatic gunshot wounds on other children, we really need to take a step back and look at that,” he said.
He thinks bleeding stations aren’t a bad idea, but he feels the bill could potentially have a negative impact on a kid’s mental health.
“We have thousands of veterans, first responders, doctors, and nurses who do this professionally and are trained to deal with it. And you know, obviously, they come up with a lot of problems — PTSD, anxiety, depressive disorders, etc. — as a result. Why on earth would we do that to our children?” said Hansen.
“You won’t be able to treat someone for PTSD if they are dead. What we are trying to do is save lives. We cannot live in a state of denial,” said Petricek.
State Rep. Gervin-Hawkins was asked if she sees any potential negative impacts this may have on students’ mental health.
In a statement, she wrote:
“I understand that there are concerns about students being exposed to this kind of material. First of all, no student is required to take this training. If a student or their parents are worried about the material, they can opt-out. Secondly, students are already very aware of the prevalence of school shootings; giving them the tools necessary to stop the preventable death of a classmate is common sense. Lastly, the committee substitute for HB 1147 would require a school counselor or other behavioral health specialist to be present during the training to assist students with handling this difficult subject.”
HB 1147’s committee substitute made an amendment to change the grade level from third to fourth in the wake of the Uvalde shooting. As of now the bill is pending in the Youth and Safety Committee. The last day for lawmakers to pass bills out of committee is Monday.
This story first appeared on fellow CNN affiliate KEYE. It is used with permission.
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