Thursday, January 31, 2013

Securing America's Schools and Her Future


In the mid 1990’s school administrators nationwide were concerned about an upward trend in violence and drug use among teenagers.  As a result school officials embraced the idea of adding the position of School Resource Officer (SRO) in America’s public schools.    The inclusion of police in a school setting was a relatively new concept and defining a proper role for armed police in public schools was problematic.  At that time I wrote an article for the National Association of Secondary School Principals titled “The Legal Implications of School Resource Officers in Public Schools” detailing the conflicts that confronted police officers in public schools.  I recall a school board meeting at that time in Williamsburg/James City County Public Schools where enraged parents insisted that any police officer assigned to a public school not carry a gun.   Imagine that!

Fast-forward twenty years.  Two decades of school shootings have redefined the climate and landscape for public schools.  The most recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut fueled a national debate regarding the need for teachers to carry  guns and a serious discussion concerning the National Rifle Association’s idea to place armed police officers in every school. All this even though teen violence has trended downward in the past decade.  So the question becomes:  How much security is necessary to protect our children in schools?

The answer to the above may have to be reframed: How much security personnel can public schools afford?  Recent economic conditions and shortfalls in state budgets have had a negative impact on local school budgets.  Many public schools are struggling to maintain the current level of educational services and educational personnel during the downward trend in public school financing.  Adding a police officer in every school will be an expensive proposition and needs to be weighed against many competing priorities.

One could argue that while adding armed personnel to public schools may be politically appealing, it may also create an atmosphere of apprehension that redefines school climate and culture.  There is no simple solution to such a complex problem. What may be necessary are a variety of approaches to addressing the safety issues concerning school facilities and the participants who occupy them.

The proliferation of security cameras and the infusion of digital technology have enhanced our ability to monitor school facilities.  More and more sophisticated electronic equipment designed to limit access to buildings is evolving and in use.  Identification badges, visitor sign in protocols, and criminal background checks for all school personnel inclusive of vendors and contractors are emerging in public schools. 

Monthly school safety and security drills, usually conducted in collaboration with local police authorities are now commonplace.   The employment of School Security Officers (SSO) for use in public schools appears to be on the rise in order to monitor school buildings and grounds.  If federal funding is provided, educational administrators will consider bringing School Resource Officers (SRO) back into school facilities. 

Sadly, all of the above items may not prevent another school tragedy like the one in Newtown, Connecticut.   This is the price of a free and uncensored society where individuals have unlimited access to the internet and information that potentially validates any radical ideology or perversion they choose to pursue.  Limiting access to assault weapons may help and President Obama appears to be leading the charge on this effort in spite of strong resistance from the N.R.A.  There are no simple solutions to a very complex issue and government regulations, executive orders, or decrees may not provide the ultimate solution.

Much will be written about the mental condition of individuals who commit horrific crimes, mass murders, and other travesties.  What we can do to protect our children and society from the rage that drives an individual to the brink of insanity?  This will most likely be left to local communities to decide what approaches are feasible and affordable.   There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the security challenges confronting public schools and other public facilities.

Public awareness of how difficult it is to secure the safety of individuals and particularly our children needs to evolve into public support for American public schools in general.  We need to realize and acknowledge how valuable public education is to the whole fabric of American society. Living in a free society carries risks as well as rewards and our charge is to find a way to mitigate the threats against civility.  Public education itself may provide the best answer.

It is paramount that we put the financial resources in place to ensure that we can accomplish the mission of developing a well-balanced generation of informed citizens for America’s future.  To accomplish this will require a wholesale shift in the perception regarding what we are capable of doing in America’s public schools to ensure safe conditions for the moment and stability for the future.  Our very own safety and security as a society will be affected by our willingness to make a significant investment in public education.  What do you think?

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