School Security & Safety

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2006
School Security & Safety
16
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 2:56pm

Last week I had to pickup DD early from high school. Since she was being dismissed, I had to sign her out (and meet her) at the clinic. I entered the front door, walked down one long hallway then turning down a couple more, passing many classes. Nobody questioned me even though many adults had seen me.

I am very curious, what is the access like at your high school? Given the recent news (and again today) of school shootings, how can schools not protect themselves better. I know for a fact, anyone at anytime could enter our high school and nobody would stop you.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 3:09pm

My DD attends a private high school that is fully fenced and gated and has full-time, round-the-clock security on staff. The rear gate to the school is closed and locked about 3:00 pm (dismissal is at 2:00).

DD usually stays at school until DH gets off work and can go get her as his office is much closer to the campus than home is. I feel very comfortable that she is safe during the 3 hours she waits there.

On the days I need to pick her up early, I cannot park my car and walk into the campus without security stopping me to see what I'm doing there. If I park in the pick-up lane to wait, I cannot get out of my car without security telling me to wait inside the car, or else move it.

 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2005
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 4:07pm

The first high school DD went to was very unsecure. It was old and used to actually be two separate schools spread out over many acres and on 2 sides of the road. The county tore down a couple of old buildings, put a parking lot in the middle, built a bridge over the road to connect them and suddenly one school. Students literally had to walk on an open sidewalk and over the road to go from class to class. A sniper's paradise. They had resource officers patrolling the bridge but at least once or twice a year there would be a riot on that bridge - even when I went to school there. They finally got smart about three years ago and split the schools back up. The students do very little milling around outside now. However, these are still old buildings with no cameras, doors that can't be locked from the outside but opened from the inside, etc.

The high school DD graduated from was built brand new 4 years ago. There is not one inch of that school except inside bathrooms and locker rooms that aren't on cameras. All doors with the exception of the one coming into the main office are set so that they cannot be opened from the outside during the regular day. This school does not have resource officers like the older schools in our county b/c it is deemed not necessary. The principal does not allow students to congregate in the parking lot before and after the day. You've got about 10 minutes to get to your car and leave. Buses pick up in one area, parents pick up in another, and students with cars park in yet another. Deliveries for the cafeteria are only allowed after hours. Any visitor to the school must sign in and will be stopped in you are walking the halls without a visitor pass that expressly states who you are going to see. I literally went into the yearbook office once a week for three years and was put through the routine every single time. I had to show photo id and the yearbook advisor had to okay me to come up before I was allowed to leave the office with my ID badge.

The first year this school was open the principal put the fear of God into the students about fighting, drugs, loitering, etc. During DD's first year there, we still had some pretty serious concerns b/c her ex b/f was harrassing her and the vice principal made it clear to me that they could not 100% guarantee her safety, however, he did call in all of DD's teachers and we discussed this. Those teachers watched DD walk from one class to the next and if the ex was anywhere around, they sent him on his way.

All in all, I felt she was very safe. Alot safer than I feel at work on my campus and a whole lot safer than I felt when she was at the old school.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 5:49pm

I don't feel our school is very safe at all. I have walked in the front office and gone directly to the back attendance office and no one has stopped me or asked me a thing. We live in a small California town, and with everything that has happened lately I'm especially worried. Because it's California, all the classrooms are directly connected to the outside, and all the hallways are outside. I'm sure they have cameras but I'm not sure what that is going to do to stop anybody. When you get down to it, not much will stop someone who is really determined, but certainly I'm impressed with Julie's school - I guess as they say you get what you pay for.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-1999
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 6:35pm

I've always thought our school is pretty safe, but after what happened on Friday just 30 miles up the road from me in Cazenovia/Weston schools here in WI, I have to wonder.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 7:44pm

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That's just it. I was thinking about this after I posted and while I feel DD's school is very safe, it isn't impossible for something to happen. Any nutcase with a gun could get through those security guards in an instant and what would happen next is anyone's guess.

When I've been at the school for football games or whatever, the campus and parking lot is absolutely PACKED with kids. With throngs of kids and parents crowding the parking lots, common areas, restroom, etc. it would be fairly easy for someone to slip in unnoticed.

I tend to think the fencing, gates, security are in place as much for protection against vandals as much as anything else, including security for the students and staff. This campus was brand new last year and no expense was spared in it's construction. I am in awe every time I drive into the parking lot or step foot onto the campus -- it's THAT nice.

 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-18-2005
Tue, 10-03-2006 - 6:50am

In NYC, all schools, even my DS's elementary school, have "guards" - I'm not sure what their training or affiliation is. YOu have to sign in and show ID. I'm stunned, though, that the schools where I work (in SW Connecticut) are very lax - some ask you to sign in, others don't watch after they buzz you in the door.

The security issue for my DD's school is more with kids leaving - it's an "open campus" so they can leave without issue any time. They're responsible for going to class, of course, but can leave school when they have lunch or a free period. Last year there was a rash of muggings of students, mostly right after school. The police try to keep tabs on it, but they can't always know who's a legitimate student and who might be dangerous.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2006
Tue, 10-03-2006 - 7:50am
Other than complete lockdown during school hours there is no way to assure that a nut with a weapon will not enter. Even then, could be a student already in the school. We should assume that had you been seen walking through the hall wearing a trenchcoat and looking like anything other than a mom, you would have gotten attention. Do you know if rules and plans are in place in case of an incident in the school? Probably there is. Most schools are very aware of the possibility of someone going ballistic. There should be security in place, perhaps a police presence if possible. Some schools have a liason officer who keeps an eye on things. Sad to say but you cannot totally protect the students. In this world we can only hope and pray that it will not happen to our own. Frightening isn't it?
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Tue, 10-03-2006 - 8:53am
Wow rose - I did think about you when I heard about the shooting in WI.
Pam
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2004
Tue, 10-03-2006 - 11:15am

I am in Canada. Here, in my city, there is no real "security" measures in the schools.
Anyone can walk into the high school at any time. For example, in my son's high school, I have to go down some halls before I reach the office. The side doors are open as well.
The school is very safe. It is the largest in the area (about 1000 students) and the most multi-culturally. There are actually more problems in the "white bread" schools than at this school.

Some of the high schools have cameras but that is mostly for catching drug deals.
The elementary schools do control access into the schools from the side doors but that's about it.

The schools do have lock-down procedures. All the doors are locked. The kids retreat to their classrooms and the doors are locked. It has happened once at the high schools. A few years ago, there was a fight outside the school (not students involved). The school went into lock-down till the police came and arrested the "fighters".

I have no worries about my son's safety. Honestly, if someone is "hell bent" on shooting up a school, he will find a way. The incident in Montreal started outside the school.

Saying that, I would be more concerned if we lived in Toronto. That city has a serious problem with gang violence in certain parts of the city.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Tue, 10-03-2006 - 12:18pm
We do have video cameras in the school but there are several ways to get into the building.
Pam

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