Parkland Shooting Incites New School Safety Measures

When a shooting occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Feb. 14, resulting in 17 casualties, it raised the question for many American schools on how we keep schools safe.

Cambridge’s administration has been working with community members to improve safety in case of a similar emergency.

“I’ve been talking with students, teachers, other principals and law enforcement about what can be done. We, the administrators, meet with our Fulton County Schools police officers and security personnel weekly to discuss safety,” said Principle Edward Spurka.

Spurka also said that immediately after the tragedy administrators had begun discussing new protocols.

The administration, in an effort to better secure access to the building in case of a crisis, also put in a work order to renovate the school’s entrance. These renovations would make it so personnel in the front office would have a window to view those who enter the building, forcing visitors to check in first.

They are also considering adding a second police officer to assist officer Terrance Floyd, something that was fueled by the possibility of a shooting occurring in one part of the school and Floyd being too far to diffuse the situation.

Officer Floyd also had his own advice for how to handle a shooting on campus.

“Assess the threat and see what the threat is, everybody’s coming,” said Floyd. “Remain calm enough so you can think your way through it.”

If an active shooter were to be at school, the Milton Police Department would be ready to handle it.

“Any type of active shooter situation would be a top priority, and all officers, including command staff level officers and any mutual aid deemed appropriate, would immediately respond to the school,” said Milton Police Department Public Information Officer Charles Barstow.

Spurka emphasized the importance of including students in the discussion on safety measures, through meetings with student council and other members of the student body.

Six days after the shooting, Spurka announced over the intercom his plan to begin sending weekly emails to students, in order to keep them updated on the school’s efforts.

Spurka, through email, announced on Friday that the school may make IDs mandatory after spring break. Also by intercom, the administration announced a new policy that students will no longer be allowed in the building before 7:30 a.m.

Many teachers also have unique ideas on how to improve school security. Law & Justice teacher Thomas Washburn, a former police officer with FBI training, has studied school shooters.

Washburn suggested several methods of handling a shooting.  

“In Israel, they teach kindergartners to swarm,” said Washburn. “They throw everything they have at [the shooter] and beat them,” said Washburn. “The shooter’s instinct is going to be to deflect. We don’t teach that in America.”

Washburn said he felt that simply teaching students something he calls “fight and flight” would produce the best results. He said he understands the liability of students being injured, but felt it was the only successful option.

Washburn also said he questioned the effectiveness of teachers using guns.

“Giving a teacher a gun is a problem. Most teachers are afraid of guns and don’t want them,” said Washburn.

History teacher Lauren Hall also voiced that she felt arming teachers would not make such crises any safer and that guns would create a more dangerous school environment.

“I don’t think it matters what kind of training you have when someone comes in with an assault rifle. Your training doesn’t give you a bulletproof shield,” said Hall.

Hall said society, as a whole, must better treat one other and also encouraged student activism.

“I think kindness goes a long way. Empathy goes a long way. I think we need to instill in our kids the importance of those things,” said Hall. “I think this is a time where we can really show kids the power that their voices can bring.”