Molak to deliver keynote at Texas School Safety Conference in Corpus Christi

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
Office of Media Relations
May 31, 2018

SAN MARCOS – Maurine Molak, mother of the late David Molak and driving force behind the recently-enacted "David' Law," will serve as keynote speaker for the Texas School Safety Conference June 10-14 at the Omni Bayfront Hotel in Corpus Christi.

The conference, organized by the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) at Texas State University, is themed “Partnering Today for a Safer Tomorrow.” The event will provide a platform for educators, administrators, school-based law enforcement and school safety professionals to collaborate and work together towards creating and fostering a safe and secure learning environment.

The conference will feature national speakers and informative breakout sessions that offer evidence-based practices, resources, and information on the most relevant components of school safety and security. Molak will deliver her presentation, “David’s Law and Cyberbullying,” on June 13. "David’s Law" relates to harassment, bullying and cyberbullying of a public-school student, a charter school student or a minor, and encourages certain mental health programs for public school students while also increasing criminal penalties and providing civil remedies for bullying.

In addition to the keynote address, the conference will feature various breakout sessions that address topics such as dating violence, gang violence, school safety and the courts, human trafficking, active shooter incidents, youth drug culture, sexting and cyberbullying, disaster response, and a "Stop the Bleed" course.

The conference concludes June 14 with Antoniette Tuff's presentation, "Conversations in the Crosshairs." Tuff's story explores how one woman averted tragedy when an Atlanta school of 870 students went into lockdown.

In addition to the workshops, the TxSSC will recognize school and law enforcement officials for their contributions toward helping schools and communities prepare for a safe and healthy future. To learn more about Texas School Safety Center and the conference, visit the website at http://txssc.txstate.edu.

For more information, contact Kathy Martinez-Prather, director of the Texas School Safety Center, at km60@txstate.edu or (512) 245-6236.

About Texas State University

Founded in 1899, Texas State University is among the largest universities in Texas with an enrollment of 38,694 students on campuses in San Marcos and Round Rock. Texas State’s 184,000-plus alumni are a powerful force in serving the economic workforce needs of Texas and throughout the world. Designated an Emerging Research University by the State of Texas, Texas State is classified under “Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity,” the second-highest designation for research institutions under the Carnegie classification system.