In 2018, Helen Lloyd the then ACPS Comms person, told me that security/safety vestibules were going to be built at each school. Just looking through the CIP newsletters - they haven't even started at some schools yet.

Interesting that the most basic of safety measures never gets discussed at the PTAC safety forum.

Why is ACPS so behind on basic safety measures? Why does it take five or more years for things to get done? Why aren't parents asking questions?

Our old ES principal used to tweet about safety and evacuation plans. He'd post pictures of the drills. When questioned he said security was fine with it.

Teachers should never be assumed to take the place of security. It should not be their job to police, confiscate weapons or break up fights. Never.

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Anonymous wrote:I wonder if central office has resorted to planting weapons so City Council takes their cries for help with school safety and discipline seriously? Wonder if this is related to the drive-by shooting murder over the weekend?

What power does City Council that Central Office does not have, in this matter?

$$$$$$$

City Council still wants to cut funding for SROs and police presence at schools. They think it is not a law enforcement problem. It is really is insane.

If a teacher intercepted the gun as reported, it sounds like they need to fund more teachers instead of SROs.

You think teachers should have to do this?

Should they have to do it? Absolutely not. Are they likely to be the ones who do? Sadly, yes. And if that is what happened today, that teacher is a hero and I will be forever grateful.

Can you cite some numbers on this?

Yes, the teacher is a hero but saying that teachers should then take the place of SROs is problematic. Perhaps you were being flip but according to multiple polls, the number one reason teachers are leaving is because of violence in the schools. And this is Alexandria where every bad idea is given a chance to become policy.

I was not saying teachers “should then take the place of SROs.” I meant (but perhaps did not state this clearly) that managing students’ safety is increasingly becoming part of our job as teachers. And it is not tenable.

You wrote: "they need to fund more teachers instead of SROs"

Instead definition: as an alternative or substitute

You are correct it is not tenable or appropriate. I watched the videos of GW teacher breaking up the violent fights between kids that were significantly bigger than the teacher. Violence is the number one reason teachers cite for leaving the profession.

The logical conclusion of "instead of SROs" leads to teachers handling more violence, not less. And that will lead to even more teachers leaving.

ACPS needs to stop funding cushy central office jobs (is 100K an appropriate salary for an assistant?) and fund more teachers AND SROs. I'm disgusted when I see teachers get raises that are mere pittances compared to the raises in central office.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if central office has resorted to planting weapons so City Council takes their cries for help with school safety and discipline seriously? Wonder if this is related to the drive-by shooting murder over the weekend?

What power does City Council that Central Office does not have, in this matter?

$$$$$$$

City Council still wants to cut funding for SROs and police presence at schools. They think it is not a law enforcement problem. It is really is insane.

If a teacher intercepted the gun as reported, it sounds like they need to fund more teachers instead of SROs.

You think teachers should have to do this?

The list of things they shouldn’t have to do but still do is endless. Society shouldn’t lean on schools to feed, clothe, counsel and soothe students, yet it does.

The greater point is that even will all that’s on them, a teacher, not an SRO, saved the day. But the same people who want to spent out the wazoo for cops in schools slams their wallets shut when raises for teachers come up.

Nice strawman you've got there.