Administrative duties for controlling crowds involves a well thought out plan of action. Actions prescribed should be endorsed by the school board as policy for the district, prior to each school year. Plans may then be viewed for comparison with other school systems. Naturally, each system will include variations to fit their own unique situation.

The UIL views this as a positive way to defend against possible trouble at athletic events. School personnel are more apt to act with confidence, knowing where they stand when written policy is in place. This only strengthens the hand of the school administrator as provided in the Texas Education Code 21.489 and 21.490. Schools that have operated without a crowd management and/or game security policy may see this as an opportunity to add consistency while upgrading their procedures, not to mention serving as a guide for legal implications. It is better to operate somewhat anonymously and behind the scenes so that fans may enjoy their favorite events than to spend little time in planning and be faced with an unchecked security problem.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY. The school district superintendent and/or his designee is responsible for enacting and enforcing a crowd management policy for contests sponsored by his/her district. Likewise, all phases of interscholastic competition are under the careful supervision of the superintendent. T

GUIDELINES. (These basic guidelines may be supplemented by local schools.)

1. A crowd control policy for season athletic contests shall be endorsed by the school board and should be kept on file with the district executive chairman and in possession of those in the individual school directly responsible.
2. No interscholastic contest may be arranged without the knowledge and sanction of the superintendent or his designee.
3. A game administrator or manager (usually the athletic director or principal) shall be in charge of the various administrative duties not associated with the contest at all home games. This person shall be on duty during the actual playing of the contest.
4. In all cases where students are competing against those of another school there must be an authorized faculty representative on the premises. In team sport contests such as basketball, football, soccer, softball, and volleyball, the superintendent and/or a designated game administrator shall be present at all home games and should be present at games away from home when large numbers of students and fans are attending the game.
5. Students, participants and staff members representing member schools in interscholastic competition are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner. Failure to do so may be in violation of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules and subject the school, students and sponsors to penalty.
6. The member school superintendent is responsible for initiating appropriate disciplinary measures against those guilty of violations of the State Education Code.
7. It shall be the responsibility of the host administration to insure the safety of the meet officials.

SAFETY. Be not concerned that you do not know the universal model for various threats to safety. There may be no such model. In some school districts immediate evacuation is the policy whenever a bomb threat is made while in others evacuation is almost the last option considered (depending upon the weight of the information available).

Our baseline responsibility is to assure that every personwho comes to school or to a school event is ensured the opportunity of returning home safely that day or night. The following suggestions are not complex, but hopefully will stand the test of time.

1. Principals and athletic directors should meet with the police and fire chiefs, emergency medical service head, and school superintendent. At this meeting establish roles of responsibility. For example, whose decision it is to evacuate a school or athletic site? Also discuss all of the other issues (e.g. lightening, power outage, bomb threats, weapons) that are concerns of the respective participants in this meeting. It would be well if written protocols resulted.
2. Form a School Safety Committee which should be representative of students, custodians (who may know your facility better than anyone else), staff, administration, parents, and the community. All of these constituents are stakeholders who should share in responsibility for safety.
3. Consider safety to be a "team" effort. Inform your students and other constituencies that you want them to keep their eyes open, and to report anything they see or hear that may be troubling. "Intelligence" is important and can be reasonable easy to acquire through such a network.
4. Every student should have an advocate member of the school staff. Too often children are without a good adult role model. A staff member, making it a point to check on each student once a week, may be enough to keep the student connected, or to detect a potentially significant personality change.
5. Recognize that you are surrounded by trained observers. Educators, like police, are accustomed to observing individuals, groups, and crowds. Anyone or anything that does not "look right", probably isn't. Station trained observers at the entrance to athletic events. Assign staff in fan sections, have the police detail deployed to observe fan behavior, and place administrators at vantage points where spectators and observers can be viewed.
6. Cell phones can be critical during an emergency when phone lines are cut; incoming phone traffic precludes making calls, etc.
7. Don't believe "it can't happen here." The profiles of perpetrators of recent school tragedies are suburban, affluent young people who spend time on computers or who may have access through family to guns.
8. Continue to work to keep high school athletic programs within the perspective of their educational mission. Do not place athletes on a pedestal. Honor equally achievements of all your students (e.g. academics, community service, drama, National Honor Society).
9. A communication system (e.g. walkie-talkies) is important among school personnel, fire, police, EMS, etc .
10. Remain calm, and use the PA system to deliver pre-developed messages/instructions.