BEAUMONT, Texas — Parents on patrol is not a new concept, but it's making a comeback in a big way.
Officials with the Beaumont Independent School District want to partner with moms and dads to help keep campuses safe.
"Parents and Community Support" is the new name, but not a new concept. It's a safety measure program that we've seen work for many years here in Southeast Texas.
“You know we cannot discount the trauma that some of our students have experienced as a result of COVID that has contributed to the increase of behaviors that we have seen,” said Beaumont ISD superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen.
It’s been a tough year for kids in particular with online learning, isolation thanks to online learning, and now adjusting to life back in the classroom.
“So what we're doing is we are retraining our students and getting them reacclimated to actually being in school,” Allen said.
Beaumont ISD is looking to the community for an extra set of eyes and ears around high school campuses.
“You know a few hours a day a week whatever allows them to actually be on-site, but it's really an additional set of eyes, and the more eyes that you have of course increases the safety,” Allen said.
"Parents and Community Support" is a new monitor safety program a concept we've seen work in Southeast Texas before.
“That's what a lot of kids just want is a conversation because they come from a single-parent home their mom might be at work they're home by themselves so we want to fill in that gap and it worked,” founder of Dads on Deck Geary Seniguar Jr. said.
Seniguar created the group in 2017 to provide emotional support for students to listen and redirect them on a positive path.
“We're not going there to beat up kids we're not going there to harass kids that's not the mission at all,” Seniguar said.
Seniguar has already gathered 50 signatures for the PACS program once background checks are done the parents will be trained and walk the school halls within the next two weeks
Beaumont ISD is always looking for volunteers so if you'd like to sign up you can find a sign-up sheet on a high school’s website.