Boost school security while we debate guns
Columnists: Make practical changes to protect kids like we protect politicians
The responsibility to protect children in schools across America requires the voice of every citizen. We can’t do it alone, and we can’t succeed with political warfare dividing us.
We can’t let disagreement in the halls of our state legislatures, Congress, school boards, sidewalks or local communities divide us and prevent us from getting done the reforms we know we can agree on. We can fix the weaknesses in our schools’ security with practical changes in the short term, while the more contentious issues surrounding firearm policy play out over the long term. There are basic, important and life-protecting policies we can enact right now to fix the problem of violence in our schools.
Americans for Children’s Lives and School Safety has produced an eightpoint plan to protect our children and our schools, and it revolves around basic security principles. If enacted, our recommendations would elevate school safety to the same level as sports arenas, government buildings, courthouses and military bases. We currently protect our adults, our politicians and our public buildings, and it is imperative we protect our children using comparable security protocols.
The leading co-author of this piece suffered the loss of his wonderful daughter, Meadow Pollack, in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14. This tragedy has inspired a national movement to fix school safety — a mission that will not end until real reform is enacted to ensure that the next threat to our children is neutralized.
The eight-point Americans for CLASS plan focuses on perimeter security, limiting and monitoring entrances to schools, protecting the interior, developing a safety volunteer network, including parent input, appointing clear leadership, increasing support for mental health, and launching a safety hotline. These are steps we can take today, and we need to get them done.
Perimeter security includes cameras and monitoring technologies, coupled with single or limited points of entry. Further, we must place armed guards inside our schools. Well trained, medically fit school resource officers would be instrumental in defending our children in the event of an attack.
We simply must not accept the argument that federal legislation and good wishes will stop those who wish to do us harm. We must protect our kids. Armed guards are perhaps the most critical component, and we cannot back down on this. Without these guards, it doesn’t work. We should look to our seasoned military veterans to fill these positions. They have unique experience with weapons safety and deserve consideration for jobs that will be needed under this initiative.
Another critical component is a parental communication network led by a school safety officer who can manage emergency response efforts and keep parents informed.
It will take dedication, hard work and consistent community effort to come together on basic safety measures amid the ongoing (and often distracting) debate about guns.
These policy proposals deserve local, state and federal consideration and warrant immediate national action. At the same time, ongoing dialogue rightfully will continue regarding the correct and fair steps our states and federal government should take to carry out laws and the extent to which gun regulations should be amended.
We must take the precautions we can agree on and increase school security now. School safety is broken, and our plan will fix it.