By
in
Now that school has been underway for a few weeks, parents may have had the chance to glean more of a sense of the level of safety and security at their children’s schools. But sometimes parents are not even aware of the possible holes in a school security plan. Every parent should feel that their children are well protected from violence, fire hazards, and drugs, and that a solid security plan is in place at their school.
Assessing School Security
Here are some questions to ask regarding your children’s school security.
1) Is there a school security guard at every entrance?
2) Is there a drug prevention plan?
3) Are students checked for firearms or other weapons?
4) Are recurrently violent students kept away from school premises?
5) If there is an incident during school, what security measures are taken? Are the entrance security guards called in, and if so, who guards the entrances at that time?
6) Is there a fire guard on hand to regularly assess possible fire hazards?
7) Do your children ever report being bullied violently, offered drugs, or otherwise feeling in danger?
All these questions – and more – can serve as a basis for assessing whether your children’s school has ample safety and security measures in place. School security is crucial for the entire community. If the schools are deemed unsafe, the entire locale has the reputation of being unsafe. By the same token, even if the school is located in an area with an unsafe reputation, if the school’s safety and security standards are top-notch, the school is seen as a literal safe haven.
No parents, nor school staff, nor anyone else in the community, wants security or safety problems in their local school. If you are concerned about your children’s school safety level, get involved in working directly to ensure the appropriate security plans are implemented. The school needs to follow local safety and security codes, but firstly these might not be strong enough, and secondly, the school might be cutting corners.
Start by taking a 15-minute tour of the school, and then read the school’s security policy and plan documentation. It might turn out that the school needs a reevaluation of their security measures, and certainly being proactive, rather than reactive, is the best policy.
If your assessment – even just by instinct — is that safety and security are lacking, take it a step further, organize, and mobilize to get your children’s school to the level of security necessary for everyone on school premises. Your children, school staff, and the community will thank you.
