Kaul, Walker weigh in on solutions for school shootings

Milwaukee (CBS 58) – Current and former state leaders say a greater emphasis on mental health may help address and prevent events like the shootings that occurred in high schools in Waukesha and Oshkosh.

Former Governor Scott Walker spoke at a panel discussion at the Milwaukee Press Club. CBS 58 participated in the panel of journalists.

During his final year in office, Walker signed a bill into law to make available $100 million for schools to improve safety. $1.2 million went to the Waukesha school district. The former governor said those funds are important, but noted that more needs to be done in the area of mental health.

“How [do we] put, not only more resources into our schools, put more resources into our communities to help people not just with diagnosed mental illness but with depression, anxiety, a lot of issues that seem to be flaring up at higher rates that we’ve seen in the past,” Walker said.

Attorney General Josh Kaul agrees.

“I’d like to see an increase in support programs to help provide services for kids who may need mental health services,” Kaul said to reporters at a news conference in West Allis. “I’d like to see our Office of School Safety continue and I hope to see it get expanded support from our state legislature.”

Kaul has also been a vocal supporter of red flag laws and universal background checks. Both ideas were put before the Legislature in a Special Session called by Governor Tony Evers last month, but neither proposal was debated or voted on because of republican opposition.