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School Security

In this newest podcast David Vroonland, Executive Director of L.E.A.R.N, speaks with Aaron Roth, Principal over Federal Strategy and Security at The Chertoff Group, about how to think about school security. Fascinating conversation from an international perspective.

Closed Captions

1 00:00:00,780 --> 00:00:03,399 [Music] 2 00:00:03,399 --> 00:00:04,680 I want to welcome our audience to this 3 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:06,640 learn podcast it is in these podcasts 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:08,240 that learn wants you to meet experts 5 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:09,559 that can help you in your work as school 6 00:00:09,559 --> 00:00:11,440 leaders or perhaps Partners in the 7 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:13,960 education landscape the topic for this 8 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:15,799 podcast is school security and our guest 9 00:00:15,799 --> 00:00:17,920 is Aaron Roth principal over Federal 10 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,160 strategy and security at the cherof 11 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:22,960 group you will find on the learn website 12 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,960 on the re under the research page under 13 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:26,840 the Coe of safety and the element of 14 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:29,119 Technology tools research in this area 15 00:00:29,119 --> 00:00:30,320 being discussed along along with 16 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:32,880 potential resources to access Aaron I 17 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:34,960 want to welcome you to the learn podcast 18 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:36,600 it is really good to have you here to 19 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,440 speak with us about this super important 20 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,079 topic obviously top of mind for school 21 00:00:41,079 --> 00:00:43,800 leaders across the country now before we 22 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,199 get into the uh podcast itself I I want 23 00:00:47,199 --> 00:00:49,600 to ask about your extensive work 24 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,879 background and uh in the area of 25 00:00:51,879 --> 00:00:53,440 security systems and just really 26 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:54,800 encourage you to please share with the 27 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,440 audience that that experience because 28 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:58,559 you have a wealth of experience here 29 00:00:58,559 --> 00:01:00,920 that really uh caught my attention 30 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:02,680 well that's great David and I really 31 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,239 appreciate you having me on and uh like 32 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:08,159 you said this is a critical topic I mean 33 00:01:08,159 --> 00:01:10,280 when you think about safety issues 34 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:11,840 domestically here in the United States I 35 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,000 mean for that matter globally I mean you 36 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,280 know what higher prize is there in terms 37 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,520 of precious resources than our kids 38 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,759 right right um and so protecting them 39 00:01:20,759 --> 00:01:22,360 and thinking about their safety at 40 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:24,439 school I mean it's unfortunate that we 41 00:01:24,439 --> 00:01:26,960 have to um but as we've seen over the 42 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:30,119 years some tragedy can you know strike 43 00:01:30,119 --> 00:01:32,759 schools and it definitely is something 44 00:01:32,759 --> 00:01:34,680 that I know from a cherof group 45 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:36,640 perspective and certainly secretary 46 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,320 cherof who was you know uh Secretary of 47 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:42,000 Homeland Security it's top of mine for 48 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,280 him as well so when we think about 49 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,320 security and safety there's there's not 50 00:01:46,320 --> 00:01:48,000 many things more important than thinking 51 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,240 about school systems and making sure our 52 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,399 kids are safe while they're there right 53 00:01:52,399 --> 00:01:55,600 and so you've been engaged in in in 54 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:57,759 obviously a lot of Crisis management 55 00:01:57,759 --> 00:02:00,079 planning in your career you were milit 56 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:01,560 Ary individual would you share with the 57 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,240 audience some of that experience sure 58 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,960 absolutely I I started you know back in 59 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,000 the early 90s uh I went to the coir 60 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,959 academy and graduated and ended up uh 61 00:02:12,959 --> 00:02:15,560 most of the N you know the 90s or so 62 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:17,319 participating in law enforcement 63 00:02:17,319 --> 00:02:20,319 operations in the Caribbean um I did 64 00:02:20,319 --> 00:02:23,160 quite a bit of Drug law enforcement um a 65 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,360 lot of human smuggling operations those 66 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,120 sorts of things I tell people you know I 67 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,200 was at all the islands in the Caribbean 68 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,560 but not for vacation purposes um so I I 69 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,480 got to see a lot of cool stuff but not 70 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,280 necessarily the way in which you know 71 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:38,800 most people would like to see the 72 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,560 Caribbean islands but I spent you know 73 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,280 most of the decade down there um you 74 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,800 know obviously seeing a lot seeing the 75 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,840 tragedy of uh you know violence created 76 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,000 by drug trafficking and human 77 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,080 trafficking and and just you know the 78 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,280 overall situation in terms of movement 79 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,480 of mostly cocaine from South America uh 80 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,879 into Central America Mexico and and 81 00:03:02,879 --> 00:03:06,400 United States um and you know just the 82 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,879 the complete you know sort of violence 83 00:03:08,879 --> 00:03:12,200 that is all around uh drug smuggling I 84 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,200 saw firsthand um and that was really eye 85 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,280 openening I mean it was a great Mission 86 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,200 I really believed in it um but it taught 87 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,200 me a lot about you know the importance 88 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,560 when you think about school systems down 89 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,040 in Central America I mean you know part 90 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,000 of the problem for what we see on the 91 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:30,680 Southwest border is the violence that 92 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,680 occurs in those countries and just you 93 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:34,040 know parents trying to get their kids 94 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,000 out of that violence right right I'm 95 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:37,920 certainly not advocating you know going 96 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,480 to the Southwest border but you you saw 97 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:42,840 firsthand you know the level of violence 98 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,239 created by drug trafficking and so after 99 00:03:46,239 --> 00:03:50,560 the 90s um of course 911 happened and I 100 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,840 was able to transition from the early 101 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:57,599 2000s to about 2012 or so um into more 102 00:03:57,599 --> 00:04:01,959 of a counterterrorism uhel of effort um 103 00:04:01,959 --> 00:04:04,040 we just happen to be sort of right place 104 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:05,959 right time as an organization to be able 105 00:04:05,959 --> 00:04:09,840 to work alongside um the uh warcom 106 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,000 Community which is a special operations 107 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,439 entity um and sort of provide some 108 00:04:14,439 --> 00:04:17,280 backfill and support uh our units were 109 00:04:17,280 --> 00:04:18,880 working overseas in the Middle East 110 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,040 North Africa um throughout that time and 111 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,840 you know really sort of sharpen the pin 112 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:28,160 so to speak when it comes to all right 113 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,360 I've done sort of the drug law 114 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,400 enforcement side of things now I've seen 115 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,120 the counterterrorism side of things and 116 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,919 you know again um you just seeing 117 00:04:36,919 --> 00:04:39,800 firsthand uh the impact associated with 118 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:41,840 terrorism uh and the challenge and 119 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:44,800 violence that that brings and then uh 120 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:49,280 spent a year at uh the uh Center um csis 121 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:50,680 which is the center for International 122 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,520 Security it's a think tank here in 123 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,360 Washington DC um and then I was able to 124 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,400 be um on Paul zov who was a common on 125 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,400 the Coast Guard his St as his advisor 126 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:03,560 and I did that for three years before 127 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,919 retiring um and you know making the 128 00:05:05,919 --> 00:05:07,919 decision that a lot of parents have to 129 00:05:07,919 --> 00:05:09,400 where I didn't want to move anymore so I 130 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,479 ended up retiring you know for the 131 00:05:11,479 --> 00:05:13,400 benefit of my kids to be able to stay in 132 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,800 high school um and then the former Vice 133 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:18,479 comment out of the Coast Guard Peter 134 00:05:18,479 --> 00:05:21,039 neffinger was at TSA at a Transportation 135 00:05:21,039 --> 00:05:24,120 Security Administration and so he uh 136 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,360 pulled me over there and I was able to 137 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,960 uh be an executive there in operation 138 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,199 support and helping leading lead that 139 00:05:31,199 --> 00:05:33,800 Organization for three years and then 140 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,479 four years ago almost I I spent my time 141 00:05:36,479 --> 00:05:39,560 uh here at the chof group uh where we do 142 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,000 uh any number of things but you know one 143 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,000 of the primary focus areas for us is 144 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,160 security risk management work and 145 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,800 focused on the private sector and also 146 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,199 you know government entities like school 147 00:05:51,199 --> 00:05:53,919 systems yeah and so that's what you know 148 00:05:53,919 --> 00:05:55,919 when when we got the opportunity to 149 00:05:55,919 --> 00:05:58,120 connect a few months back it was just so 150 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,759 exciting to to hear the The Passion of 151 00:06:00,759 --> 00:06:03,639 cherto group for engaging and supporting 152 00:06:03,639 --> 00:06:05,280 school districts you know because you 153 00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:07,240 guys are large government contracts 154 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,680 large commercial contracts and um we're 155 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,639 a very different kind of entity very you 156 00:06:11,639 --> 00:06:14,520 know segmented in not just by States but 157 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,319 by locals within States so it's a little 158 00:06:16,319 --> 00:06:18,639 different kind of Adventure and you know 159 00:06:18,639 --> 00:06:20,360 the conversations we've had it it's 160 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,880 clear that you have a heart for and the 161 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,599 secretary has a heart for really coming 162 00:06:25,599 --> 00:06:27,759 in and and helping school districts with 163 00:06:27,759 --> 00:06:29,319 this landscape but also advocating for 164 00:06:29,319 --> 00:06:31,360 school districts at the state level and 165 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,800 and uh um perhaps at the local level as 166 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,280 well in terms of ways in which they can 167 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:38,560 uh start looking at security and I know 168 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,039 we we often think about the physical 169 00:06:40,039 --> 00:06:41,160 security and we're going to talk about 170 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,680 that today but also the Cyber and AI 171 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,240 space and you know as as we look at the 172 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,199 current threat landscape I'd just like 173 00:06:48,199 --> 00:06:49,960 you to share with the audience what kind 174 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,280 of your feel is about what we need to be 175 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:54,199 aware of both from the physical space 176 00:06:54,199 --> 00:06:56,599 but also that cyber and AI space 177 00:06:56,599 --> 00:06:59,000 absolutely and you know one of the thing 178 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:00,759 that sort of blood's word right in 179 00:07:00,759 --> 00:07:03,440 security right now is converge security 180 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,759 challenges right um and I'll talk a 181 00:07:05,759 --> 00:07:07,960 little bit about that I I think you know 182 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,160 sort of at the geopolitical level 183 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,639 globally I mean you know it doesn't take 184 00:07:13,639 --> 00:07:16,199 much past the front page of the 185 00:07:16,199 --> 00:07:17,960 newspaper to see all the security 186 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,120 challenges we're facing globally um I I 187 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,720 think most of my career I spent 30 years 188 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:25,520 in the department of homel security most 189 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,199 of my career I look back and I say you 190 00:07:28,199 --> 00:07:30,960 know at every juncture of my career I 191 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:32,759 remember people saying man this is the 192 00:07:32,759 --> 00:07:35,319 most complex security environment we've 193 00:07:35,319 --> 00:07:38,400 ever seen and yet we just keep saying 194 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,759 that right right um and and I do think 195 00:07:40,759 --> 00:07:42,160 it's true I don't think it's an 196 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,000 exaggeration I think you know as you 197 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,759 know we continue moving through our 198 00:07:46,759 --> 00:07:50,159 lives and as more Technologies develop 199 00:07:50,159 --> 00:07:53,639 as more tools um as different societal 200 00:07:53,639 --> 00:07:56,680 changes occur as different Global you 201 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,000 know competitor sort of relationships 202 00:07:59,000 --> 00:07:59,960 change 203 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:02,479 the environment tends to get only more 204 00:08:02,479 --> 00:08:04,639 complex and so when you think about 205 00:08:04,639 --> 00:08:06,120 what's going on in the Middle East right 206 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,280 now um you think about you know Russia 207 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,159 and Ukraine you think about China and 208 00:08:12,159 --> 00:08:13,680 where we are in the relationship with 209 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,039 them you think about you know the 210 00:08:16,039 --> 00:08:18,840 challenges of criminality uh globally 211 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:19,680 and 212 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,280 domestically um you think about all of 213 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,080 the things we've seen domestic you know 214 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,360 events um you almost can't say anything 215 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,800 without sort of you know inciting some 216 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,159 sort of frustration in people these days 217 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:36,760 um and so just taken in total between 218 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,680 sort of global events domestic events 219 00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:42,399 it's a highly complex environment so why 220 00:08:42,399 --> 00:08:45,200 is that important to schools and I I I 221 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:46,519 think you know 222 00:08:46,519 --> 00:08:49,279 fundamentally I think schools and it and 223 00:08:49,279 --> 00:08:50,959 you we always talk about this in the ch 224 00:08:50,959 --> 00:08:53,080 ch off group and the secretary's fond of 225 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,920 saying you will never be able to 226 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:57,360 eliminate risk all you can do is manage 227 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,680 it and make make informed decisions 228 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:03,519 based upon uh the risks that you see so 229 00:09:03,519 --> 00:09:06,200 from sort of the executive leadership 230 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,600 you know perspective of schools or any 231 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,800 Organization for that matter you know 232 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:12,600 the only requirement you have 233 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,839 fundamentally in sort of doing the right 234 00:09:14,839 --> 00:09:16,920 thing is making sure that you understand 235 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,079 what those risks are and how they impact 236 00:09:20,079 --> 00:09:22,560 you know in this case obviously schools 237 00:09:22,560 --> 00:09:24,600 yeah um and and you know there's some 238 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,320 things and I think best practices there 239 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,920 that we can get into as we go forward 240 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,120 but you know just the complexity of all 241 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:35,920 those global events the domestic events 242 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:37,959 we think about what's happening in cyber 243 00:09:37,959 --> 00:09:40,839 security over the past decade um you 244 00:09:40,839 --> 00:09:44,120 know almost every device we carry now 245 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,279 you know brings some threat to us right 246 00:09:47,279 --> 00:09:50,360 you add social media on top of that and 247 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,399 it's probably um the secretary was on a 248 00:09:53,399 --> 00:09:55,920 panel this past week talking about you 249 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,279 know how social media is used for the 250 00:09:58,279 --> 00:10:00,440 various purposes so you think about that 251 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,079 with kids you think about that with 252 00:10:02,079 --> 00:10:04,800 anybody that's using social media that 253 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,480 you are a Target in social media um and 254 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,000 you also have a responsibility to think 255 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,720 about you know what your risk surface is 256 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:15,720 when you're dealing with social media 257 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:17,079 and that that can be anything right 258 00:10:17,079 --> 00:10:18,320 they're trying to get you to buy 259 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,360 something they're trying to get you to 260 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,760 you know do something that you otherwise 261 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:26,720 may or may not um realize is happening 262 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,320 um and I'm not here to you know suggest 263 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,079 that social media is a terrible thing 264 00:10:31,079 --> 00:10:35,040 it's not it it's incredibly powerful um 265 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,480 but that power can be used in for 266 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:39,480 nefarious purposes and I think we see 267 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:43,320 that in in the AI modeling within social 268 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,320 uh media in in sort of anything that we 269 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,320 use can push us in a direction that you 270 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:50,200 know 271 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,519 subconsciously uh we may be doing that 272 00:10:52,519 --> 00:10:54,240 we don't even realize in sort of a 273 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:57,680 conscious sense right and so all of that 274 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:00,560 plays out day in out and it's no more 275 00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:02,720 apparent than schools where kids are on 276 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,240 social media you know more than anyone 277 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,120 well maybe maybe not even more than the 278 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,639 adults you know but but it's fascinating 279 00:11:10,639 --> 00:11:12,600 you use that word complex and you know 280 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,040 it's I think part of the complexity 281 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,120 actually is the the um audience at 282 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:19,560 school districts 283 00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:22,680 serve in many cases thinks it may think 284 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:24,600 it's not complex like there are very 285 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:26,639 simple Solutions and if you just do X it 286 00:11:26,639 --> 00:11:30,600 will result in y um and in many cases 287 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,399 that's just not how it works you know 288 00:11:33,399 --> 00:11:36,800 and I I find the you know U we've dealt 289 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:38,399 with school security issues where I've 290 00:11:38,399 --> 00:11:40,279 been a superintendent obviously I know 291 00:11:40,279 --> 00:11:41,440 many superintendents who dealt with 292 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,760 school security issues and you're trying 293 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,240 to balance that risk against creating an 294 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:48,360 environment that's a learning 295 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,200 environment yeah um and so it becomes 296 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,480 more complex than just simply you know 297 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:55,959 hardening the target is a favorite term 298 00:11:55,959 --> 00:11:57,320 of many people you just need to make the 299 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,680 target harder and yet we we want to make 300 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:01,720 certain that we're also recognizing 301 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:03,639 we're a school district we we we are a 302 00:12:03,639 --> 00:12:06,200 learning institution we're we're not a 303 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,399 prison or military complex you know it's 304 00:12:08,399 --> 00:12:11,440 like this is not who we are so I I find 305 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:12,720 you know that word is probably an 306 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,560 appropriate word and and you know as we 307 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:18,240 think about this then and I'm going to 308 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:20,920 kind of skip to a question um to 309 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:22,680 question three which is you know based 310 00:12:22,680 --> 00:12:25,240 on your experience then what are some of 311 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,279 the ways in which a district could 312 00:12:27,279 --> 00:12:29,399 really manage that risk you know 313 00:12:29,399 --> 00:12:31,720 especially I'm guessing in communication 314 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:33,240 but otherwise some perhaps best 315 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:34,440 practices that you think would be 316 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:35,680 something that districts would want to 317 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:38,639 think about yeah absolutely and I should 318 00:12:38,639 --> 00:12:40,839 mention this is a bit of a passion issue 319 00:12:40,839 --> 00:12:43,160 for me as well my oldest daughter is a 320 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,880 school teacher in North Carolina so uh 321 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:47,800 not only have my kids I have four of 322 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,000 them went through school obviously but 323 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:51,880 you know now I have a daughter teaching 324 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:53,800 so you know a lot of this hits home with 325 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,560 me and I certainly appreciate the fact 326 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:58,279 that you know you can't make schools 327 00:12:58,279 --> 00:13:01,519 prisons right um and sort of pull on 328 00:13:01,519 --> 00:13:03,399 that thread a little bit and say okay 329 00:13:03,399 --> 00:13:05,720 well what can they do I think you know 330 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:07,839 first and foremost when you think about 331 00:13:07,839 --> 00:13:09,079 change and this is not going to be 332 00:13:09,079 --> 00:13:11,720 surprising to any of your audience but 333 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:13,320 you think about it through the lens of 334 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,480 people process technology and I always 335 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:19,720 add culture into that as well so you 336 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,600 know if you're a leader in the school 337 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,839 system I think that's a helpful 338 00:13:23,839 --> 00:13:25,760 framework for thinking about are we 339 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,839 doing all we can um across the wrist 340 00:13:28,839 --> 00:13:31,639 land landscape relative to people 341 00:13:31,639 --> 00:13:34,000 relative to technology relative to 342 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,360 processes and relative to culture and 343 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:38,959 I'll talk about a few of those things 344 00:13:38,959 --> 00:13:41,839 the most important thing uh from my 345 00:13:41,839 --> 00:13:46,040 perspective is um no leader is ever 346 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:50,199 going to be um you know criticized 347 00:13:50,199 --> 00:13:53,199 negatively if they fully considered the 348 00:13:53,199 --> 00:13:56,000 risk and they made decisions based on 349 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,120 the complex World they live in on that 350 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:01,000 to the best of their ability with the 351 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,040 most informed inputs as they possibly 352 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,240 can get where people tend to get in 353 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,920 trouble is where they haven't examined 354 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,600 it right and so I I say that 355 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,120 because you know my recommendation would 356 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:17,880 always be as a best practice to have 357 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,279 some sort of risk committee um and I 358 00:14:20,279 --> 00:14:22,720 think you know most school systems most 359 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,040 businesses most organizations understand 360 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,600 Enterprise risk management and the 361 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,160 degree to which they have a focus on 362 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,759 security relative to that construct um I 363 00:14:33,759 --> 00:14:35,880 think it's incredibly beneficial there 364 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,759 should be regular conversations around 365 00:14:38,759 --> 00:14:41,040 Safety and Security and I literally for 366 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,079 school systems to me they're two sides 367 00:14:43,079 --> 00:14:45,199 of the same coin you know I think it's 368 00:14:45,199 --> 00:14:47,160 more appropriate easier to think about 369 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,240 safety for kids at school than it is 370 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,639 security but to me as long as you sort 371 00:14:52,639 --> 00:14:54,800 of have a lexicon that everybody's 372 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:56,880 comfortable with you can make the same 373 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,240 informed decision so number one for me 374 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,519 would be you know have a group of people 375 00:15:01,519 --> 00:15:03,399 that are the right folks for your 376 00:15:03,399 --> 00:15:06,120 particular school system uh regularly 377 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:08,160 meeting and talking about Safety and 378 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:09,680 Security related 379 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:12,720 issues that would be number one and then 380 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:14,959 I think once you have that which is kind 381 00:15:14,959 --> 00:15:17,639 of the people element right you then 382 00:15:17,639 --> 00:15:20,079 need some process around that you know 383 00:15:20,079 --> 00:15:21,920 okay well what does it look like you 384 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,639 know we talk what are the outcomes of 385 00:15:24,639 --> 00:15:26,920 those conversations and I think you know 386 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,560 deliberate processes to fully adjudicate 387 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:31,839 what you know that group determines to 388 00:15:31,839 --> 00:15:35,040 be significant relative risk right and 389 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:36,759 when we think about risk we think about 390 00:15:36,759 --> 00:15:38,720 it in sort of three dimensions we think 391 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,360 about you know the consequence of an 392 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:43,079 event and obviously with schools you 393 00:15:43,079 --> 00:15:44,880 can't get much higher consequence it's 394 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,360 the kids and the teachers and just sort 395 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:50,639 of the you know we see the national you 396 00:15:50,639 --> 00:15:53,600 know uh impact when this even one school 397 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:57,680 gets hit um and so then we think about 398 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:59,880 um vulnerability and I think that's 399 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:02,480 where the most work can be done uh and 400 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:04,279 then lastly we sort of think about the 401 00:16:04,279 --> 00:16:07,120 threat itself and so as long as you have 402 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:08,560 a group of people thinking through those 403 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,480 three dimensions and then whatever has 404 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:13,959 been identified as potential you know 405 00:16:13,959 --> 00:16:16,240 concern that there's a process for 406 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:17,639 thinking through okay what are we going 407 00:16:17,639 --> 00:16:19,399 to do about it how are we going to 408 00:16:19,399 --> 00:16:21,680 mitigate it what number one what are the 409 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:24,279 possibilities for mitigation and then 410 00:16:24,279 --> 00:16:26,199 you know given all the limitations that 411 00:16:26,199 --> 00:16:28,000 exist out there and the complexities 412 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,160 that exist make an informed decision 413 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,440 about how to deal with it you know 414 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,759 objectively right right and then and 415 00:16:35,759 --> 00:16:37,519 then I think you know you're in a 416 00:16:37,519 --> 00:16:41,040 position where you've responsibly dealt 417 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,800 with the risk that you're facing um and 418 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:45,279 then that may be that you add some 419 00:16:45,279 --> 00:16:46,839 technologies that sort of go back to 420 00:16:46,839 --> 00:16:49,199 that framework right some layer work 421 00:16:49,199 --> 00:16:51,240 yeah that's right and then you know it's 422 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,720 always a culture that matters as well 423 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,120 and instilling a culture within your 424 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:58,319 school system of teachers and whatnot 425 00:16:58,319 --> 00:17:00,759 about how to think about Safety and 426 00:17:00,759 --> 00:17:02,959 Security so that everybody's kind of 427 00:17:02,959 --> 00:17:06,400 pulling on the ore together yeah that I 428 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,240 mean I'm just fascinating Aaron you've 429 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,160 you've taken the the complexity of this 430 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,319 and you've really created a concise 431 00:17:13,319 --> 00:17:15,160 approach to it just a very short amount 432 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:16,559 of time I was just sit here going trying 433 00:17:16,559 --> 00:17:18,720 to pull it all in and it strikes me 434 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,679 obviously partnering with people um who 435 00:17:21,679 --> 00:17:23,360 who have expertise is really important 436 00:17:23,360 --> 00:17:24,679 and that's something that you guys are 437 00:17:24,679 --> 00:17:26,439 interested in doing is really partnering 438 00:17:26,439 --> 00:17:28,520 with districts and maybe having these 439 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:29,960 convers ation and then bringing other 440 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,039 potential Partners to the table like we 441 00:17:32,039 --> 00:17:33,440 have a really great partner with learn 442 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,760 called true north um Consulting Group 443 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:37,960 they do some great stuff and seeing how 444 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:39,360 these different entities come together 445 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:40,799 to really support our districts in this 446 00:17:40,799 --> 00:17:42,679 important work you know one of the 447 00:17:42,679 --> 00:17:44,440 things that I wonder about though is 448 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:46,400 kind of a next and I've already made a 449 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:47,919 decision because of the nature of this 450 00:17:47,919 --> 00:17:49,240 conversation Aaron you and I are going 451 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:50,760 to have another conversation about Ai 452 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:52,720 and information security separate 453 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,919 because there's just too much here but 454 00:17:55,919 --> 00:17:57,960 but I think the next question becomes so 455 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,159 you come out of that security meeting or 456 00:18:01,159 --> 00:18:02,600 set of meetings however you want to 457 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,799 describe that you have some clarity 458 00:18:04,799 --> 00:18:08,039 around this what you know what would be 459 00:18:08,039 --> 00:18:10,400 your kind of advice if you will on how 460 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,000 you communicate that to your audience 461 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,400 now in business obviously you're 462 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:15,200 communicating that to your to your 463 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,120 employees but in the case of schools 464 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:19,159 you're communicating that to your public 465 00:18:19,159 --> 00:18:20,520 do you have some thoughts on that that 466 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:22,799 you wouldn't mind sharing yeah it's a 467 00:18:22,799 --> 00:18:25,919 great question I mean I am uh you know 468 00:18:25,919 --> 00:18:28,039 completely sympathetic to the fact that 469 00:18:28,039 --> 00:18:30,880 you know School schs in particular um 470 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:32,840 are trying to educate kids but they're 471 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:34,400 also dealing with you think about 472 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:36,159 concentric circles around that kids in 473 00:18:36,159 --> 00:18:38,960 the middle you're dealing with you know 474 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,240 uh political environment you're dealing 475 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,720 with parents you're dealing with you 476 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,440 know any number of sort of stakeholders 477 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,520 uh around that and and that can be 478 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:50,840 complex in of itself just trying to 479 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,400 communicate um clearly and concisely in 480 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,200 ways that you know people can hear it 481 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:56,679 you're never going to please everybody 482 00:18:56,679 --> 00:18:59,240 that that is for certain right 483 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:00,880 right but I think you know one of the 484 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,960 most I think powerful uh communication 485 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,600 Tools in my mind um you know I think 486 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:08,880 schools are great about inviting parents 487 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:11,679 in ptas and all the other things that 488 00:19:11,679 --> 00:19:13,520 are there for parents to you know 489 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:16,080 communicate with school leadership about 490 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,679 but is describing processes to people 491 00:19:19,679 --> 00:19:21,799 you know so let's take an incident you 492 00:19:21,799 --> 00:19:24,320 know that happened to evaldi Texas it's 493 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:27,159 tragic you know okay for every other 494 00:19:27,159 --> 00:19:29,440 school system out there you know what do 495 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:31,440 you do after an event like that I mean 496 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:33,679 you want to show that you've taken 497 00:19:33,679 --> 00:19:35,919 action and I think one of the ways is to 498 00:19:35,919 --> 00:19:38,799 describe your process like hey just so 499 00:19:38,799 --> 00:19:41,480 you know this is how we manage Safety 500 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,640 and Security for your kids um and in 501 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,120 some instances it may be appropriate to 502 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:49,799 invite you know Outsiders so to speak 503 00:19:49,799 --> 00:19:51,840 into those conversations I'm not saying 504 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:53,960 all the time you know but maybe there's 505 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,240 an annual meeting and and I'm sure many 506 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,720 schools do this and a way head of of you 507 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,159 know sort of anything that I would 508 00:20:01,159 --> 00:20:04,360 provide as advice but um inviting people 509 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:07,280 into those processes I think can be 510 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,799 really impactful and again realizing 511 00:20:09,799 --> 00:20:11,159 you're never going to please everybody 512 00:20:11,159 --> 00:20:12,960 those are very difficult meetings to 513 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,559 manage but to the extent you can show 514 00:20:15,559 --> 00:20:18,240 people what you're doing I think is is 515 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:20,480 really important and then when you make 516 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,600 decisions on let's say mitigations of 517 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,360 some sort like you're going to put a new 518 00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:27,559 security system in you've got a new 519 00:20:27,559 --> 00:20:29,440 protocol with the police police you know 520 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:33,320 and local police you know whatever it is 521 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,240 I think you know taking the time to 522 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,640 communicate that um does a couple things 523 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,039 one is it obviously gives uh stakeholder 524 00:20:42,039 --> 00:20:44,679 Community an opportunity to understand 525 00:20:44,679 --> 00:20:46,039 you know that you're putting time and 526 00:20:46,039 --> 00:20:48,039 energy into this because it's an 527 00:20:48,039 --> 00:20:49,919 important issue and then I think 528 00:20:49,919 --> 00:20:51,320 secondly and sometimes people don't 529 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,440 realize when you're overt in public 530 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:57,120 about those things it makes you know uh 531 00:20:57,120 --> 00:21:00,120 others who may have some ill intent in 532 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:03,159 mind that can guess you know what 533 00:21:03,159 --> 00:21:04,960 they're going to do and you'll hear the 534 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,360 term a lot in security called security 535 00:21:07,360 --> 00:21:10,400 theater um which effectively means 536 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,279 you're doing something that may not have 537 00:21:13,279 --> 00:21:16,760 any real substantive you know sort of uh 538 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:19,440 strategy or mitigation behind it but it 539 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,960 looks like there's something going on 540 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:23,720 right and it's often used as you know 541 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,279 sort of a negative kind of connotation 542 00:21:26,279 --> 00:21:29,120 but in reality it can be very compelling 543 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:31,440 um that just by saying we are doing 544 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:34,480 these things it can be enough you know 545 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,400 the analogy I use is turn your lights on 546 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,200 in your house at night time because if 547 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:39,520 somebody's thinking about doing 548 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:40,720 something they're going to go to the 549 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,320 house that has the lights off right yeah 550 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,440 that's a little bit of theater but works 551 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:47,840 yeah because your house may not be any 552 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,640 safer but in reality it's created an a 553 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,240 certain image in that perpetrator's mind 554 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,279 yeah that makes good sense that makes 555 00:21:55,279 --> 00:21:57,520 really good sense well Aon you know 556 00:21:57,520 --> 00:21:59,400 unfortunately our time is really uh 557 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,200 we've gone over time actually and like I 558 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:03,600 said I want more conversation so I'm 559 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:04,840 going to tell our audience we're going 560 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,520 to have another conversation around Ai 561 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:08,039 and information security because that's 562 00:22:08,039 --> 00:22:09,360 also something districts are dealing 563 00:22:09,360 --> 00:22:12,960 with a lot but if a district or partner 564 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:14,799 wanted to explore working with you how 565 00:22:14,799 --> 00:22:17,559 would they go about contacting you yeah 566 00:22:17,559 --> 00:22:20,480 I think the easiest way is uh our chup 567 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:26,240 group website um CH e r t FF and CH off 568 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,480 group um we have a website there it's 569 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:29,840 it's easy to get in touch with us if 570 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:31,159 anyone would like to get in touch with 571 00:22:31,159 --> 00:22:34,840 me directly um it's as simple as aaron. 572 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:38,279 Roth shirt offg group.com and I know uh 573 00:22:38,279 --> 00:22:40,640 no one will remember that but I'm sure 574 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:42,919 we'll have it printed for yeah we'll 575 00:22:42,919 --> 00:22:44,960 have it taken care of well I want to 576 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:46,440 thank you Ain for being a part of this 577 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:47,679 important work of supporting our 578 00:22:47,679 --> 00:22:49,679 students in our schools and I want to 579 00:22:49,679 --> 00:22:51,039 thank you for your participation in 580 00:22:51,039 --> 00:22:53,480 learn podcast absolutely pleasure to do 581 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,799 it thanks for having me 582 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,440 absolutely

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