Unfortunately, I could write an article like this every six to eight months when it comes to a response to a school shooting.
According to a recent Sept. 6 report by CNN, there have been 46 school shootings in the United States. As a result of these incidents, 24 people lost their lives and 62 people were injured. Each of these incidents causes trauma for those involved, the town and city, and parents across this country who want their students to be safe at school.
Thoughts and prayers are appreciated, but they are not the answer. The answer is also not coming from the gun lobby, local, state or the federal government. The answer must come from parents going above and beyond to hold schools accountable for the safety of their students.
Procedures and practices
If your student does not know the active shooter procedures, that may be an indication the school isn’t practicing it enough and it isn’t a priority.
Quiz, grill and ask your student about the procedures and confirm their answers with the school. Schools should regularly practice these drills and should make parents aware these drills are being practiced. It is not enough that schools practice these drills once or twice a semester. Parents have the right to know how often these drills are practiced and I encourage parents to discuss the procedures with the school’s administration.
The discussion topics should include the reunification and communication process in the instance something happens. Parents should also discuss how accessible the school is and what procedures are in place to know who is entering the building. The more informed you are as a parent, the better prepared your student is to remain safe.
Safety personnel
There are many schools that have the ability to have safety personnel called School Resource Officers (SROs). School resource officers’ job is bigger than school safety, but they are a vital part to keeping a school safe. I encourage parents to talk with school administration about the role of the school resource officer in your students’ school.
SROs monitor the building throughout the day, making sure they are visible during passing periods, lunch, arrival and dismissal. Your student should see the SRO officer at some point during the school day if they are truly being active in the building.
If your school does not have an SRO or no campus security, then it is time to have a discussion with the school board and school superintendent. A school resource officer doesn’t solve all school safety problems, but they are an excellent deterrent. School districts should make it a priority to hire an SRO at least part-time to help keep our students safe.
Organize, volunteer and get involved
If your school does not have an SRO and can’t afford to hire one, then it is time to get organized.
Work with the school’s PTA/PTO and administration to organize parents that can assist with supervision and safety at your students’ school. Parents can no longer sit on the sidelines when it comes to school safety and must make their presence felt. Organize supervision during school activities such as sporting and music events, arrival and dismissal.
Some school administrators are reluctant to have parents volunteer during the school day, but it is worth a discussion if your student is lacking in security or a school resource officer. Supervision in schools is an excellent deterrent for bad behavior. Schools that cannot fund an SRO should work with local law enforcement officials to discuss volunteer opportunities or an audit of their security and safety practices.
I encourage parents to do their part to keep their kids safe at school. We all would love for our lawmakers and the national media to take this issue more seriously, but it isn’t happening. It would be great to see school safety be part of the national conversation during this election season. Ultimately after the thoughts and prayers, it is up to us, as parents, to solve this problem and keep our kids safe.
