From emergency preparedness to everyday awareness, school safety takes planning, practice and a community working together.

Keeping students and staff safe involves more than the security measures families see when they visit a campus. It also requires preparation, ongoing evaluation and a shared commitment from students, employees, families and community partners.

For the first installment of Inside Whitehouse ISD, we spoke with Whitehouse ISD Director of Safety & Security Rex Brown about the work that goes into keeping our campuses safe and the important role families and students play in that effort.

A career dedicated to safety

Brown began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer in April 1991 and transitioned to school-based policing during the 1997–98 school year. He went on to serve as chief of police for Jacksonville ISD and Tyler ISD for a combined 11 years. He also worked alongside U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, training local residents to serve as police officers.

This April marked Brown’s 35th year as a certified law enforcement officer.

As Whitehouse ISD’s Director of Safety & Security, Brown works with district staff and community partners to prepare for, prevent and respond to emergencies. That work includes training, instruction, drills and coordination with Whitehouse Police Department officers who serve as school resource officers (SROs).

But Brown says school safety extends well beyond the presence of officers and security personnel on campus.

“Safety and security is a culture and requires buy-in from all stakeholders—students, staff, parents and the community,” Brown said. “It takes us all working together to create the safest environment possible.”

Preparing for the unexpected

One area Brown emphasizes is emergency preparedness. Throughout the school year, WISD conducts drills using the Standard Response Protocol, which outlines five responses to different types of situations: Secure, Hold, Shelter, Evacuate and Lockdown.

Practicing these responses helps students and staff become familiar with what to do in an emergency. While some security measures are not shared publicly, Brown says preparedness is an important part of the district’s ongoing safety efforts.

The district’s practices are also reviewed through outside inspections. Brown pointed to unannounced exterior-door checks conducted at each campus by auditors from Region 7 Education Service Center. During these inspections, auditors check that exterior doors are locked, are not propped open and do not require maintenance.

“I am proud to report that WISD has not had a single finding,” Brown said, referring to those exterior-door checks.

Why reporting concerns matters

Safety also depends on students and families speaking up when something does not seem right, whether it happens at school or online.

Brown noted that recent social media trends have included students creating or sharing posts that could be interpreted as threats, even when the person posting considers the content a joke.

“Parents and students must understand that this type of social media post is alarming and can be seen as a threat,” Brown said. He cautioned that such posts can have serious consequences, including potential felony charges under Texas law.

The Texas School Safety Center addresses this issue in its video, Threats Are No Joke, which families can watch together as a starting point for a conversation about the seriousness of making or sharing threats.

Brown encourages students to report concerning posts, statements or behavior immediately. Students who are uncomfortable making a report in person can use the district’s anonymous See Something, Say Something reporting system.

“‘Snitches get stitches’ does not apply to your safety and the safety of others,” Brown said. “Reporting is part of our safety and security culture that we are encouraging everyone to employ.”

He also encourages parents to talk with their children about reporting concerns and to contact the district if they become aware of a potential safety issue themselves.

“Students see all and hear all,” Brown said. “Their school is their safe haven for seven to eight hours a day.” He believes students can help protect that environment by taking ownership of their role in keeping it safe and understanding that reporting concerns is part of being a responsible member of their school community.

Safety is an ongoing effort

School safety practices cannot remain static. Brown says he continually reviews emerging trends and safety measures, examines incidents at schools across the country and considers lessons learned from evaluations following incidents. He also connects with other school safety and security directors to share information and learn from their experiences.

“Safety and security never sits still,” Brown said. “It is an ever-evolving endeavor.”

For Brown, that ongoing work, along with the willingness of students, staff, parents and community members to do their part, is what makes a strong culture of safety possible across Whitehouse ISD.