The Oxford High School Shooting Tragedy Should Be a Wake Up Call!!

My name is ………..  I am a mother and grandmother.  I want to speak about the issue of school safety.

I noted from the last school board meeting that there was a vote to approve the purchasing of classroom lockdown kits for 800 classrooms in the school district for about $30,000.  These kits contain buckets to be used as toilets.  My question involves the larger issue- what is being done to ensure the safety and protection of our kids?  Has there been any discussion about armed security guards, reliable locks for doors, security cameras, metal detectors?  I would assume you have some of these in place.  I also understand that there is a million dollar grant for school safety that has to be used up by the end of 2024.  What is being done with that money?

I know there are those who say that having armed guards at schools only creates more fear in students and that they don’t prevent school shootings.  Well, tell that to the parents in Denver after the recent shooting there.  CNN reported that the schools were shut down for a mental health day and that armed guards are now being brought back to the schools.  The district Board of Education in Denver had previously banned the presence of armed guards in schools.  The Denver Mayor, Michael Hancock, now says that ban was “a mistake”.  The ban was adopted after the George Floyd murder when school districts across the nation began pushing police officers out of schools. 

Why does it take an actual shooting incident for common sense to prevail among school boards and administrators?  

The viewpoint of those opposed to armed guards is that many shooters are suicidal so the presence of guards is not a deterrent.  The point that many of these media pundits miss is that armed guards can keep the body count down once or if shooting begins.  Don’t wait for the police to arrive.  Deal with it right away!

Putting “piss pots” into classrooms- sounds like after the fact window dressing to me.  And a distraction from more important security needs.

The US Dept of Education in a study found that from 1950 to 2009 the number of K-12 students increased by 96%, teachers by 252% and administrators by 702%!!  About $37 billion could have been freed up with less of an expansion of teaching and administrative positions.

One opinion on the subject that I read said this:

“Whoever can’t find funding for highly trained armed security positions in their staff budget would never make it through third-grade arithmetic.”

Let’s get serious about school safety.  The Oxford High School tragedy was a wakeup call.  Schools across the nation are increasing security measures.  What is the Walled Lake School district doing in this regard?