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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