Nov 13 2018
OPINION: Opposition to School Security Measures: Fences, Security Cameras, Police Officer
Call for more community input –
Superintendent Randy Booker will present the idea of a School Resource Officer to the School Board at their meeting this Wednesday, November 14, 2018, 7:00 p.m., City Hall. I would like to hear more community engagement on this topic. I think it would be good to make sure that the members of our community are aware of the various security measures being proposed — including perimeter fencing around the middle school and high school, and new surveillance cameras around town.The current focus on security measures is troubling to me, reminding me of a culture of fear that has developed at a national level. I sent this letter to the School Board prior to their last meeting. Please feel free to reprint.Thank you,Elizabeth Shook
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To Superintendent Randy Booker and the PUSD School Board:My husband and I are strongly against perimeter fencing and a school safety officer at Piedmont Middle School or Piedmont High School.With the recent threat incident at PMS, we understand that emotions are running high. However, perimeter fencing and a school safety officer would have made NO DIFFERENCE in this recent threat.We agree that the safety of our students is our primary concern. We believe this is a mental health issue, not a criminal issue.Adding a school safety officer at either PMS or PHS is a major over-reaction. The presence of police on campus has not been shown to limit or protect from past school shootings. At our secondary schools, we already have the Piedmont police department located within two blocks. Our school is located in a quiet, safe suburban neighborhood. An officer on campus would actually heighten student anxiety and tension.If we have the budget, we should spend the funds on additional counseling staff who can work with students with unfortunate family, social, or mental health situations. This will do more to deter future tragedy than a school safety officer.We call on the Superintendent and the School Board to let emotions settle, and then survey the community on this issue. Where could the money be better spent? What do the students want? What about teachers?We believe that our families need: 1) Clear and transparent communication from the administration about school threats – and school policies. 2) Students and families need to be taught the best response to dangerous scenarios. 3) Zero tolerance for students who make threats or bring weapons to school.Here are some articles about School Safety Officers that make good points:Putting more cops in schools won’t make schools safer, and it will …New York Set to Revise Role of School Safety AgentsI am also against perimeter fencing. I feel it can actually trap students in a dangerous situation and impede evacuations. In reality, fencing will not deter actual bad guys.PHS Students considered the fencing when it was first proposed in this 2016 editorial:“Fencing the campus entirely would cost an estimated $300,000 — far more than any college education — even before implementing monitoring systems that could actually keep dangerous individuals off the property.“Frankly, a fence alone will not be effective in deterring an active shooter, the fear of which has been a key motivation behind the push for revamping the district’s safety measures. In the wake of tragedies like Sandy Hook, this desire to proactively increase safety is understandable, but the decision to build a fence would be reactive and incomplete. Instead of actually improving our safety, we would be cultivating the mere illusion of security, a incremental measure not worth the significant cost.”Thank you for your consideration.Regards,Elizabeth Shook and Denis Fung, Piedmont Residents and Piedmont School District Parents
