In light of the most recent shooting that took place at an elementary school, how safe is your child's school or daycare? Are there some things you brought up or thought about bringing up to the administration to make it safer?
An estranged husband killed his wife while she was at work in a San Bernandino elementary school. He fatally injured one student and another is still in the hospital.
hostess / papaya / 10219 posts
I work in a school and I don't know how they could prevent this. We have to have people checked in at the front desk (and ID scanned and the visitor tagged) but a teacher's husband would certainly pass muster and be allowed in with a tag. No one would think twice about that. It isn't like he was a stranger. Now, I haven't read the details so I don't know how it all went down...
squash / 13208 posts
I agree with @travellingbee: that a teachers husband would be let in w/o issue.
Our school's doors are locked - you ring a bell to be let into the front office - the doors are glass so they can see you
eggplant / 11824 posts
@travellingbee: I was thinking the same thing this morning. All of our local public schools are locked and require being buzzed-in by the front desk, and someone who identified themselves as the spouse of a teacher would (I'm assuming here) certainly be let in. I don't know what sort of gun he had, but a handgun certainly can be easily concealed.
This past summer I had a work assignment where I went to each of the local elementary/middle and high schools (20+ schools) and I was buzzed in every single time when I gave my name and stated a reason for being there.
This is so sad, but doesn't make me think about speaking to my LO's school about increasing safety. I do wish guns were harder to come by, generally.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
How safe is it? I don't think it's safe at all if I am being honest.
The kindergarten wing is ground level and there is a connected driveway to the north and to the west. A person could drive by and not even get out of the car and do some serious damage.
We recently had a lockdown. I was at home and my dad was picking up my son. As he pulled into the driveway, about 25 police cars screamed up the road and into the driveway. No one was allowed in or out for an hour until they checked the entire building, room by room, with SWAT teams. The reason? A child accidentally tripped a button that has a direct link to the PD and informs them of a shooter in the school.
As a result of that incident, the school had a post mortem where they discussed the issues that they had, which include how to account for the kids that were in the bathroom, nurses office, other enrichment activities.
In this case, if the spouse was a trusted member, they would have also been let in. There are cameras and they do ask you to come to the office, but there is no "front desk" or staff security, which is what I think they really need.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
@looch: Wow, in hindsight that was a "good" accident to allow them to really see their policies in actions and how to improve from there...
pineapple / 12566 posts
I think our school is safe, we have an armed military officer posted a the entrance, the school grounds are gated, and the layout makes it so that no classrooms are in the immediate vicinity of the entry. That said, I am of the view that, regardless of precautions, anything can happen and I do worry.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@snowjewelz: Yes, I think it was. I mean, while it was happening, we had no idea that a child tripped the button. So they really thought there was an active situation.
To hear the principal recount it was, let's just say very emotional.
honeydew / 7622 posts
To me this was a DV situation- it is absolutely tragic it happened at a school but it could have just as easily happened at a private residence, restaurant, grocery store etc with other casualties.
This particular incident does not make me more concerned for Ts safety at school. It makes me feel broken-hearted that people are killed by their partners and that guns are so accessible.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
Our daycare isn't very secure. Sure you have to use a four digit code to gain access to the lobby door, but out of consideration people hold doors open all the time. If someone doesn't have the code the staff will open the door for them and then ask their purpose for a visit.
None of the classroom doors require coded or buzzer access. The youngest infant room is accessed from the lobby, making it the most vulnerable. From the front there are large windows that someone could see or shoot into the youngest infant's room and the older one year's old's room.
Workplace DV is targeted and you cannot prevent every shooting; however I think there are steps schools can take to keep people that do not have any business at the school off premises or at least out of classrooms. For one, my daycare could reprimand parents that hold the door open for others. And two, a number to the school or intercom could be posted on the door. "strangers" would have to call the front desk and state the child or employee they are there to see. Front desk could check if child is in attendance and notify parent if a note wasn't left. Front desk could call teacher's room and see if it's ok to let the person in if "stranger" is there to see them. All of these are PITA tasks of course.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
I am comfortable with our daycares security. Similar to @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: situation. Coded front door, parents are instructed not to open door for strangers. The infant room is up front...same situation - more accessible to dangers. Windows face parking lot - door to access is in the foyer. (Once in the foyer there is door to the right to the infant room and a door to the left to the main common area.
The door to the common area enters in right next to the front desk and the directors office. There are various side doors but they are all locked and alarmed like a fire exit.
If a stranger comes (or grandparent/etc - someone without the code) they can ring the bell and a teacher or Director/AD will greet them and ID them. I personally find it weird to let a door slam in front of someone so if a person I do not recognize is coming in behind me (or waiting when I get there) in the winter I will let them in the foyer and ask who they are there for. Then I wait around and make sure someone comes to them. In the summer I will advise them to ring the bell and also let them know I will mention it inside. I see other parents be more reckless and generally I say something to the Director/AD when I see this behavior.
At the end of the day these situations (like yesterday) are horrific and unfortunately ones I think it is hard to protect against. You just cant protect against every WHAT IF. When it comes to these situations I have to put my faith in the teachers and staff - I know how much each of them love and care for the kids and have to have faith they will do everything in their power to protect my girls when I am not there. I know many of them would take a bullet to protect a child in a heart beat...and for that I am grateful beyond words....
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I agree that DV is targeted, but let's say my husband came to my place of employment, he should be unable to get inside. I would be called to the lobby.
I think that's the piece that is missing from a lot of schools and daycares. The concept of a secured entry upfront where the person you are there to visit is called to the front, not the other way around and let into the building. If I really think about it, what was the reason for the husband to be at the school, it that really a common thing for teachers to have their spouses there during the day? I don't know.
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
I don't feel like ours is safe at all and I've been on the principal about what we can do, including attending several meetings. There was someone on the campus, two days in a row that wouldn't leave, a stranger, and no one told the parents! The info started going around when kids were telling their parents.
@looch: I couldn't agree more. Someone wants to visit, you should have to go to them, they shouldn't be able to come to you.
grapefruit / 4455 posts
Everyone has to walk by the office staff who knows everyone by name and if not you have to be ID'd and on a list approved by parents. I have never seen spouses or guests of teachers in the classrooms, in the 2 years we have been there. Some windows face the parking lot and the yard is somewhat courtyard style also facing one house (and on the other side of the house is the upper school, the owner will just not sell, lol.) But the school, although a good school, is not located in a great part of town, and isn't generally locked up during normal drop off or pick up hours. (I have dropped by during other hours as had to be buzzed in from the other side of the window.) However I don't feel worried and I trust my child's teachers and staff that they are vigilant as possible. My lo will be in public school next year and I will admit that makes me a little nervous at this point, but it will be at a decent school in a residential area not in the city and I think that's as safe as it's going to get. DV and bad things can happen anywhere though. Makes me sick thinking about what those parents are going through now.
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