As an increase in horrific school mass-shootings throughout the United States within the past two decades have led to a scare in multiple schools nationwide. Such notable shootings that have taken place at schools like Columbine High School in 1999 and Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012. As a result, safety has risen in school, especially in a district located in Biloxi, Mississippi, where they implemented cameras into every classroom to monitor the action of everyone on school grounds. Everything a student or faculty member does or says will be under surveillance and be available for access by school administrators. Therefore, if there is suspicion that a student cheated on a test, if a student stole property, or any action that is deemed illegal and inappropriate for school, the school administrators would notice it as it is happening and enforce a consequence among that student(s).
As a result of the classroom surveillance system, students have been better both academically and physically. On the other hand, people argue that the cameras are negatively impacting the students, as well as violating their rights. The two sides of this dilemma reflect different viewpoints and opinions, therefore this is a moral dilemma. With the point of view from the school district, the dilemma involves whether or not the district is infringing the civil liberties of the students by having cameras in every classroom. Civil liberties can be described as being subjecting to and protected by laws
Improvement in security will also contribute to a safe environment. High schools should implement the use of metal detectors as well as random searches. Although, it may be tedious to remove all metal and coins from your pockets, it will ensure safety. This security measure can be specific to each school. An example being to make the checks random throughout the week or only require it for students to have a late arrival. Random searches can also be specified such as only searching lockers or classrooms. Motion sensored cameras can also be a very effective with safety. In many school’s cameras are only in the hallways and lunchroom, but what happens when violence occurs in a classroom? All evidence will be based off hearsay. This is not an effective way of assessing the incident considering there are 3 sides to every story. Adding motion cameras to classrooms will make evidence accurate. Not only will student-student altercations be recorded, but teacher-student altercations will be recorded. Security guards themselves should also be improved. Security guards should be posted in hallways upon children arrival, during passing periods, and upon school dismissal. Security guards should also be fit enough for the job. “The results indicated that utilization of multiple security measures reduced the likelihood of exposure to property
After the Sandy Hook, there were countless ways for students to be safe at school. In Preparing for the Unthinkable: School Safety after Sandy Hook news article, Vicki Bauman said, “ Instead of gates, guns, and metal detectors, let’s invest in the things we know will make us safer: counselors, health care, teaching positive behavior, and making sure we have services to reach out to disconnected youth and pull them back on track.” Therefore, violence is not the answer to any question or issue. The community and school system should take a stand and get the necessities that the schools need to have a safe environment for the students and faculty and staff. The school can invest in law enforcement. The law enforcement will be able to conduct a consistent search through a metal detector. The law enforcement will help the students to avoid bringing prohibited weapons to school as well as, there to protect the school.
In the United States mass shootings has been a problem for the last few years especially school shootings which occurs often in the country. Why in this country? Well statistics shows that the United States has 31% of all public mass shootings from 1966 to 2012. Although, the percentage has gone up for the last five years. There is a higher risk of dying at school than at any public places. The government and the president of the United States are not treating this problem right and it has become a phenomenon in the country. According to the blog “I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother: A Mom’s Perspective On the Mental Illness Conversation In America” by Liza Long, she discusses her struggles with her mentally ill son and states the lack of help she was getting. She addresses the Sandy Hook incident in Newtown, Connecticut to relate it to her situation and how she fears her son might lead to murderous attack like the Sandy Hook shooting. Many of the causes that lead to school shootings are; lack of gun control, mental health & bullying, and definitely lack of protection at schools.
Tuesday April 20th, 1999 began like any other day. Parents went to work, and the children went off to school. Neither worried about the other, or how their day would turn out. But, hours later everything changed (“Columbine Highschool Massacre.”). Little did the residents of Columbine, Colorado know their high school would be a statistic for one of the largest school massacres in US History. On this day, two teenage boys were responsible for killing 12 innocent students and a teacher, wounding 23 more students, and then killing themselves (Miller). While a horrific event, the Columbine tragedy improved the safety in schools by upgrading security systems, improving administration’s knowledge on school security, and increasing
School shootings are terrifying and a big problem in today’s society. Schools have added lockdown drills, bullet proof glass and metal detectors. School should be a safe area for children to learn instead of fearing for their life. Instead of buying metal detectors and hiring more officers, there is a much easier solution in order to decrease and prevent school shootings. We have to be more alert about securing weapons at home and being aware of suspicious behavior at school in order to keep children and faculty safe.
In the years following the Columbine High School Massacre, many school districts installed metal detectors, along with security cameras, and also
If you recently picked up a newspaper or turned on to see the news you may have question what is happening in our schools and begin to think whether our schools are still safe places for children. Recent school shootings have set feared in many parents about their children's safety in our schools. Since last year number of school shootings by students have occurred regularly. On Tuesday February 29, 2000 in Mount Morris Township, Michigan a six-year old boy shot his classmate to death in their first grade classroom. Police reports show that the two youngsters had an argument the previous day. A single shot was fired inside the classroom at Buell Elementary School around 10 a.m. The young boy said he brought the gun to school to frighten
A school administrator roams the halls to make sure all doors are locked and all students are hidden from what might be a school shooter if this scenario was not a drill. "You're training the kids," Weicker said. Similar drills which, in some states, are attended by armed and masked SWAT teams are now practiced routinely in nearly three-quarters of schools, according to a recent survey of 445 administrators funded by the American Association of School Administrators. The Columbine High School Massacre was the worst high school shooting in U.S. history and prompted a national debate on gun control laws and school safety regulations. Now we can live in a society they is a lot safer due to this laws and regulations schools and states have made to
Next, we had security guards. I don’t really remember exactly how many we had, but they frequented problem areas of the school. The lunchroom was a major problem place, and the surrounding hallways where students would eat and do homework. There would also be security guards that walked around the “unfrequented” parts of the school. The security guards would also go outside and monitor the path, and the students crossing as well. Next, we had a desk at the front of the school with a security guard that doesn’t leave during the day. Vistors were required to sign in and report to the office. For awhile, we had a security guard that went around and looked around the parking lot, looking for suspicious things. Now, there is a van that drives around the parking lot keeping it secure as well. Next, we have to evaluate the potential risks and threats. At Grand Blanc, we didn’t have metal detectors, so being able to slip in with a knife, or something small, like this student did, would be a problem. Also, big bags such as purses, athletic bags and backpacks are problems as well because without metal detectors we do not know what are in the bags. Another potential risk is the unfrequented areas of the school. Even though there are cameras, there are enough cameras that you cant watch every one every time. With the unfrequented areas of the school, a student could create something destructive- it could be a considerable amount of time before someone passes by.
On October 1, 2015, Christopher Harper-Mercer walked into Umpqua Community College and shot eighteen people. A week later shootings occurred at universities in Arizona and Texas leaving two dead. According to a study in 2013, the FBI identified thirty-nine active shooting cases in educational settings, and these cases accounted for the highest number of casualties(_). With the threat of active shootings in educational settings, many universities are trying to increase security on college campuses in order to protect students and staff members. The need for heightened security allows universities to constantly monitor the activities of students in order to create a safe environment. Many universities, such as Loyola University Chicago, implement guidelines that aid in controlling students and creating docile individuals. At Loyola University Chicago, it utilizes surveillance cameras and identification cards to protect students. Moreover, the need for control transcends surveillance for security reasons and is utilized in academics through the grading
In the past many schools have been victims of gun violence. Shootings, among other violent things are by far the most devastating. A few good ways to prevent gun violence, and violence in general, are timed locks throughout the school, metal detectors on the doors, gun safety programs at home and school, and more devices and policies to monitor students whereabouts. I; however, believe that the best way to prevent school violence, without violating the student’s privacy, is to install timed locks and metal detectors throughout the entire school.
The school shootings at Westside Middle School were orchestrated by two juveniles. On Monday, March 30, 1998 two boys ambushed students and teachers outside Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Andrew Golden a youth of 11 years and Mitchell Johnson who was 13 years old were responsible for this hideous tragedy. Apparently, Mitchell Johnson hid in the woods while Andrew set off the fire alarm causing the students and teachers to run out of the building. Armed with three stolen rifles and four handguns, the documentary explained that the two youth flushed kids and teachers out of the school by means of a false fire alarm then opened up on them. When they stopped shooting, four students and a teacher lay dead and 10 students were
In January 2014, The Washington County School District in Tennessee received sixteen cameras because it was selected out of the twenty districts in the state to launch a new security camera program so that it can monitor teacher effectiveness. The cameras hadn’t been removed from the boxes “before the project was suspended indefinitely”(neotoday). This was because parents and the community were outraged by the idea of the school being “transformed into an invasive, zero privacy zone” where kids were constantly being watched. While few people supported security cameras “Ken Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, believes that the “rush to install these systems [are] extremely expensive and sophisticated”” and should not be bought because it 's unnecessary and the money could instead benefit children through other educational resources. Accordingly, a math teacher at Belleville Middle School in New Jersey and president of the Belleville Education Association named, Mike Mignone, told the board members that “the money could have been spent on tools and technology that actually improve our students’ education”. Likewise, many parents and teachers would argue the same and would oppose security cameras. The addition of new security cameras would be an unnecessary expense which will not contribute to children’s learning, and therefore shouldn’t even be given any priority compared to children’s education.
Schools need to maintain a disciplined and safe learning environment. There are many disciplinary actions that are in use today and although some can disagree about the amount of discipline that is best for maturing children, it is reasonable to be in agreement that a positive learning environment begins with physical and emotional safety. School safety includes a broad range of matters, including, fighting, bullying, drugs, alcohol, weapons, and etc. Many schools use varying methods in an effort to maintain school safety. Some schools limit school access and require all visitors to sign in. Physical surveillance is another common method of addressing school safety issues along with use of staff and student identification. Among all these
In january 2014 Washington County School District received sixteen cameras because it was selected out of the twenty districts in the state to launch a new security camera program so that it can monitor teacher effectiveness. The cameras hadn’t been removed from the boxes “before the project was suspended indefinitely”(neotoday). This was because parents and community were outraged by the idea of the school being “transformed into an invasive, zero privacy zone” where kids were constantly being watched. While few people supported security cameras “Ken Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, believes that the “rush to install these systems [are] extremely expensive and sophisticated”” and should not be bought because it 's unnecessary and the money could benefit children through other educational resources. Accordingly a math teacher at Belleville Middle School and president of the Belleville Education Association named Mike Mignone who told the board members that “the money could have been spent on tools and technology that actually improve our students’ education”. Likewise many parents and teachers would argue the same and would oppose security cameras. The addition of new security cameras would be an unnecessary expense which will not contribute to children’s learning, and therefore shouldn’t even be given any priority compared to children’s education.