Local schools working on student safety

School officials in Cape Girardeau and Jackson say they are not looking to arm teachers, but both districts are working on measures to make schools safer.

Two recent school shootings, one in Kentucky and another in Florida, have called attention to the issue of school security.

President Donald Trump has suggested arming teachers as a way to provide security during active shooter situations, even proposing Thursday that teachers get bonuses if they take gun training.

Jackson school district superintendent John Link said teachers are trained to teach, not to potentially take a life.

The money it would take to arm and train teachers would be much better spent helping students learn, both classroom material and strategies for dealing with emotional pressure, Link added, and although he hasn't discussed the matter with the school board, he is not an advocate.

Cape Girardeau superintendent Neil Glass said the discussion around whether to arm teachers is not one he's had with the school board, but the decision to arm teachers is one he "would weigh very heavily."

Link said he wants to assure people the administration is working hard to address concerns.

"What people don't see happening on the inside, they may think it's not happening, but it is, as far as all safety protocols are concerned," Link said.

"I can't do it by myself," Link said. "It's a team effort."

And, Link said, the school's biggest ally in the fight against school violence is the students.

"I think anything out of the ordinary is worth talking about," Link said. "Best-case scenario is, it's nothing and we move forward, but they have to feel comfortable, if they hear or see something, to say something," Link said.

Central High School in Cape Girardeau will soon have a more secure entrance after recent action by the school board, but metal detectors are not in the works right now, Glass said.

The district does have metal-detector wands, but those aren't in regular use, Glass added.

"It's a balance" between making a school more secure and making it into a prison, Glass said.

Each district has multiple school resource officers, or SROs, who are available to intervene in crisis situations, but are also there to build a sense of trust within the schools, both superintendents said.

Cape Girardeau's SROs are armed while on duty, as are Jackson's, according to police.

Both districts also have made a move toward a restorative discipline model rather than a punitive one, to promote positive interactions between students and staff.

Josh Crowell, assistant superintendent for support services, facilities and maintenance with the Cape Girardeau school district, said in his view, "the number one deterrent [to violent acts] is positive relationships. Kids need to know who they can trust."

At Jackson schools, all entries are being upgraded to require identification, Link said. Security cameras are in place at many buildings, but technology has improved, so those are also being upgraded.

Crowell said safety must be viewed as a total package, a sentiment Link echoed.

Tornado season is coming up, and each district regularly practices earthquake and fire drills.

Cape Girardeau and Jackson teachers and staff also train regularly for active shooter scenarios, Link and Glass both said.

Jackson schools are working on an app to help school staff communicate in an emergency situation, Link said, and that should be rolled out in the next several months.

Glass said he is looking for guidance to come from the teachers' unions, from professional associations, even the federal government on how school safety should be addressed.

But both districts' officials said they are continually striving to refine their methods and build an environment of trust and open communication.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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