Richneck Elementary could receive $1.5 million for renovations; statewide school security funding proposed

As he walked through Richneck Elementary after a school shooting last month, Del. Mike Mullin said he heard a repeated warning from teachers and administrators: It could have been even worse.

“They pointed out how dangerous a situation it could have been had the shooting occurred in a classroom with an open format,” said Mullin, D-Newport News.

On Tuesday, finance committees within the Senate and House of Delegates posted approved budget amendments that would allot $1.5 million to the school for safety-related renovations. The amendments, proposed by Mullin and Sen. Monty Mason, would help Richneck close off several classrooms that lack walls and doors.

The House committee additionally proposed $12 million for school security grants statewide, while the Senate committee is proposing a $50 million grant program.

The Senate committee incorporated the funding for Richneck in the larger-scale amendment.

“The Senate said ‘we hear you, we see this issue and we realize we’ve got challenges like this across the state,’” said Mason, D-Williamsburg. “They called out the Newport News circumstances as part of the rationale.”

The senator called the support from both budget committees an “extraordinary acknowledgement” of the city’s tragedy.

A 6-year-old student at Richneck Elementary shot his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, inside a classroom last month. Zwerner survived but was seriously injured, sparking calls to provide better protections for students and staff.

“I have a lot of friends whose kids go to Richneck, and they’re still in shock, they’re traumatized,” Mullin said. “It’s unfathomable that we even have to think about this.”

The budget amendments must be approved by the Senate and House, and then approved by the Gov. Glenn Youngkin, before taking effect.

While the two legislators believe its important to secure classrooms, they acknowledged there is no quick fix to prevent gun violence in schools. Schools need more staffing and increased mental health resources, they said.

Both also believe the state should pass safety measures to promote responsible gun ownership. Firearms, however, remain a point of contention in the General Assembly.

Democrats have pushed a range of gun safety measures this session, including one that would enact stricter firearm storage rules in homes with minors. But none have received support in the Republican-held House.

Gun violence is on the rise in the commonwealth. The Virginia Department of Health recorded 457 gun homicides statewide in 2020, 508 in 2021 and 555 in a preliminary count for 2022.

A series of high-profile shootings also garnered national attention, including a mass shooting in November that left six employees dead at a Chesapeake Walmart.

Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com