While politicians are revamping the nation’s stance on gun control in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., local schools are reaffirming their commitment to campus safety.
Both Athens City Schools and Ohio University are focusing on improving the safety of their students –– though each school is taking a different approach to dealing with security.
The large size of OU makes it difficult to lock down campus and evacuate buildings, so the Ohio University Police Department must focus on preventative measures, said Chief Andrew Powers.
“It’s very difficult to have an evacuation plan for an active shooter because every building is unique and different on campus,” Powers said. “We teach people how to respond and evaluate the situation. That is more effective.”
OUPD currently offers an educational class called the ALICE program that teaches students and faculty how to respond to situations similar to the Sandy Hook shooting.
In the past month, demand for the ALICE program has spiked on campus, Powers said.
“We are even having some difficulty keeping up with the demand,” he said.
Powers said that different types of schools demand different types of security.
“We try to be proactive when approaching safety as opposed to reactive,” he said. “Although we are an educational institution, there is a big difference between a university and a secondary school.”
Athens City Schools must focus on preventing such tragedies from occurring through increased security, said Superintendent Carl Martin.
“We’ve tightened up ingress and egress (who comes in and out) of the buildings,” Martin said. “We are also working with some security companies and taking proposals for putting electronic lock systems in the buildings.”
The Sandy Hook shooting led to a re-evaluation of school safety, Martin said.
“We’ve always had safety drills and procedures and all the required stuff by the state, but in light of Sandy Hook, we’ve gone back and taken a look at what we’re doing and are making things tighter in the buildings,” he said.
On Dec. 21, the National Rifle Association held a news conference during which Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre recommended the placement of armed guards in public schools.
Lloyd Culbertson, treasurer of the Athens County Friends of the NRA, said he hopes to see this security measure implemented in Athens City Schools.
“The people that would be there would undergo training and would be evaluated to determine their mental stability,” Culbertson said. “They are the ones who would be the first line of defense, just as I would be the first line of defense if someone were to break into my house.”
For the time being, though, Martin said he will weigh the options before deciding whether Athens City Schools will follow the NRA’s recommendation.
“It’s something we’ve looked up and discussed but it’s not a simple matter,” Martin said. “There is a cost in hiring armed guards because you have to make a determination if you want someone armed in your buildings.”
sh335311@ohiou.edu
