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"THE CREDENTIAL"
November/December 2022
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You Are Part Of The Solution For Safer Schools
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The U.S. has had 2,032 school shootings since 1970, according to statistics gathered by Sandy Hook Promise. Discussions in the media and in a variety of industries have attempted to find solutions, to that end. "The Credential" joins the conversation with two experts in the A/E/C industry and their thoughtful opinions.
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As news of yet another school shooting spread in recent weeks -- there have been 46 incidents in 2022 through October 31st that resulted in injuries or deaths -- "The Credential" began looking for answers along with many others. Two voices stood out, and we asked them to expound on their ideas for how the A/E/LA/C industry can be part of expunging violence from schools.
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Roe Gammon is a security consultant for Henderson Engineers, a Kansas City-based firm. He assists schools and districts in identifying safety gaps while making security features unobtrusive. He was interviewed for the Kansas City Business Journal article titled "Henderson Engineers expert uses unconventional approach to tackle K-12 school security design."
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Justin R. Wolf is a writer, editor, and content strategist for the AEC industry, based in Minneapolis. This summer, he wrote an article for Common Edge titled "It's Not a Design issue," pushing back on those - including the AIA - who suggest that the responsibility for deterring shootings in schools falls on building professionals. |
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They shared a new perspective on how our industry can affect change. Their answers have been edited for length. |
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What effect can we have on gun safety laws? |
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Gammon: Gun laws are an effort toward reducing the ability for such catastrophic crime, which is outside the direct scope of the A/E/C industry. We do, however, have the responsibility of working with building owners to reduce the desire for crime and specifying thoughtful systems toward that goal. Don't place card readers to keep an attacker out before first addressing the events that led to the decision to attack. Of course, both sides are necessary for a secure building, stopping both the desire and ability to attack, so we must consider the balance between them. We spend a great deal of time indoors, especially students during formative educational years, so before anyone ever thinks about card readers and cameras, we need to think as a group about how that indoor environment supports staff and student, and how to create human-centered buildings that help occupants thrive.
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It's hard to quantify the impact of this direct and indirect support, but we can step back and ask ourselves when we last saw a group of truly healthy, happy people cause mass violence. What is easy to quantify is a healthy relationship between staff and students where needs are known, and trust is outwardly visible. Attackers don't "just snap"; their behavior changes over time to include what the FBI calls "pre-attack indicators." Students with strong staff connections are less likely to attack and any indicators to the contrary are very likely to be seen and addressed before an event occurs. |
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Though the A/E/C industry has no place in parenting children, we have every obligation to support their education and serve them through healthy environments.
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Wolf: I believe the AIA and other industry governing bodies could develop knowledge communities, think tanks or similar that should partner with March for Our Lives, Students Demand Action, Youth Over Guns, or any number of the anti-gun violence policy/lobbying groups that also happen to be majority-led by student groups. Ensuring safe schools that also happen to be designed for active learning, universal engagement, neurodiversity, and empathy begins with engaging students and following their lead as community spokespeople. Not parents, not school boards (which tragically have become increasingly politicized in recent years), not teacher unions, but students!
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All of the above is only scratching the surface. That said, I would be heartened to see the building and design communities take this kind of action. |
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Stay tuned for "The Credential" in January to learn more about Gammon's and Wolf's ideas for how design and building professionals can play a part in this important issue.
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Protecting and saving lives matter. Thinking about the
critical responsibility of the A/E/LA industry, not to exclude construction, - your professional licensure, oath, creed, HSW and more. Our voice as a collective group must speak up and speak out.
The Credential follows important issues like this as part of our comprehensive monitoring of challenges affecting the industry. We stay current with modifications to credentialing requirements in more than 50 jurisdictions allowing you and your firm to focus on what you do best -- design, engineering, and construction.
Our credentials management services (individual and business) are exclusively developed for A/E/LA professionals. We offer consistent value and expertise providing you time and cost savings that can be effectively converted to billable project hours. Please contact us at 913-608-7880 for a free consultation session, send us a message, or visit AECredentialing.com
for more detailed information. |
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Contact Details:
LS Credentialing Services LLC
WBE Certified
P.O. Box 91
Olathe, KS 66051
Lexi@AECredentialing.com
913-608-7880
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NOW DELIVERING:
Professional legal services for business credentials compliance including:
1.
Existing corporate credentials registration compliance review
2.
Corporate credentials quarterly maintenance
3.
Corporate credentials documents filing
4.
Potential new corporate
registration legal research with recommendations
Your questions and critical issues will be addressed with quality professional service when you call 913-608-7880.
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Architects:
Jurisdiction License Renewal Due
11/2022
Illinois
12/2022
Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri,
Nebraska - Last Name First Initial A-K, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Wyoming
01/2023
Vermont,
Virgin Islands
_______________
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Engineers:
Jurisdiction License Renewal Due Date
11/2022
Illinois -SE
12/2022
Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri,
Nebraska - Last Name
First Initial L-Z,
New Mexico,
North Carolina,
North Dakota,
Oregon - Last Name
First Initial L-R,
Texas,
West Virginia
01/2023
Connecticut,
Nevada
________________
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Landscape Architects: Jurisdiction License Renewal Due Date
11/2022
None
12/2022
Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia,
Kansas - Last Name
First Initial A-L,
Missouri,
Nebraska,
Puerto Rico, Wyoming,
British Columbia
Canada
01/2023
Delaware, Louisiana,
Massachusetts,
South Carolina,
Vermont
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If your license renews on your date of birth this month, or by state requirement when your license origination occurred, or any other jurisdiction imposed requirement, it's time to renew.
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Contact us to receive a sample custom monthly
credentials report containing:
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1.
All A/E/LA national and international licensure status with renewal dates
2.
Professional affiliation membership types with renewal dates
3.
Current multi-discipline continuing education requirements needed
4.
Comprehensive recorded history of categorized education credits
Learn more about our innovative and easy-to-use service at: AECredentialing.com.
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Join us in our efforts to go "green".
Think before you print. |
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