Reply to Individual Trespassing at RMHS with a Weapon

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We need to start being more open to weapon detection technologies in schools. I'd rather see this than those electric busses they spent a bunch of money on but could barely mobilize. [/quote]

I think it will make kids even later to class (which is already a struggle given how congested the hallways are and how large th property is), and I'm not at all optimistic that they can find adequately trained staff to operate metal detectors effectively.  Even the TSA has a shockingly high fail rate in locating guns in baggage -- and they are trained a lot more thoroughly, and have better equipment, than MCPS is going to get.  I've talked to LEO that operate metal detectors and they say it is really not that easy and requires a trained eye -- it's not like in the movies where you see the outline of a gun against a stack of clothing.

See this article, which highlights how metal detectors are not necessary as easy as they seem:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED595716.pdf
[b]
I favor bringing back SROs, increasing security especially at doors and bathrooms, and requiring visible display of picture ID cards --- but not metal detectors or closing the campus[/b].[/quote]

Agree with all of this.

Even just implementing measures like this will make students aware that adults are aware of the problem and are watching the situation.  Could act as a deterrent.  [/quote]
I also think having SROs in school acts as a deterrent.  I realize some people don't like it because some kids "feel" uncomfortable with SROs in schools, but I guarantee you that your kid will more than feel just uncomfortable if they get shot, beat up, knifed.  And given that a lot of the victims of violence in schools tend to be URM, I would think SROs for them would be even more welcomed.

Even so, kids' safety is more important than how some kids feel.[/quote]

Oh, I agree!  But, try telling that to our 'progressive' political leaders and our BOE.  They disagree and forcefully pushed SROs out of schools, despite the fact that principals and parents wanted the program to stay intact.  [/quote]

Some parents supported keeping the SROs. Other parents supported the effort to eliminate the SRO positions.[/quote]
More parents and wanted SROs than not.  But the progressive county leaders decided it didn't matter what parents want.

They looked at a study when trying to determine whether to keep SROs but they ignored the positives and only focused on the negatives:

https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/C2S2RR727C3F/$file/SRO%20Program%20210511.pdf

[quote]In a study of middle and high schools, Swartz et al. (2016) found that SROs had decreased criminal offenses by 17% at 27 middle and high schools.

Promotion of positive school climate
- Increased rates of counseling by SROs resulted in improved student and staff morale, enhanced communication between students and adults, the enforcement of clear rules and expectations, and promoted a positive school climate (Denham et al., 2016).

- School staff assessed by Denham et al. (2016) rated their SROs’ impact on school climate positively.

- In a study on how SRO presence impacted the school environment, 82% of teachers reported reductions in student fighting following the assignment of an SRO (Maskaly et al., 2011).

Improved perceptions of safety by students, parents, and school officials

- Of students surveyed by Lamont et al., 201, 73% of reported that the presence of an SRO caused them to be less concerned about bullying, thefts, violence, and intruders while on school grounds.

Parents surveyed by Myrstol (2011) reported believing that SROs reduced juvenile delinquency, improved police-community relations and school climate, enhanced quality of life in the community, helped students better understand the law, and helped the police department by exposing police personnel to a different part of the community. In addition, assigning SROs to schools gave parents the perception that school safety was a priority in
their community (Watkins & Maume, 2012).

- May et al. (2004) found that 87.5% of school administrators in a Kentucky school felt strongly that their assigned SROs effectively reduced negative student behaviors, including drug use, theft, threats, weapons possession, and fighting. Over half of the school administrators reported not finding anything unfavorable about their schools’ SRO programs.

- Watkins and Maume (2012) found that SRO presence increased feelings of reassurance among teachers that violent attacks in school could be mitigated
[/quote]

The pros in the memo far out weighs the cons.  How can those things be ignored?[/quote]

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