Public School Security Concerns?

by Reverend Treespeaker

copyright 1999

My kids are part of a 4-H group that meets at the public school after school is over. I happened to get to the school 15 minutes early this week and thought (since it was cold and raining) that we'd go in and sit in the library where we wouldn't bother anyone but would be more comfortable than being in the confined space of the jeep. 

We ran in the rain to the side door but it was locked and there was a security guard standing there ignoring the kids and me. It was pouring! And they made no effort to even ask what I wanted. He looked right at me and walked away! Good thing it wasn't an emergency...nothing on fire or no one hurt, eh? 

I went to the front door and there was a school administrator with a huge badge telling his name and yelling at children to "move out of the way" and "stay over there". Then he was yelling at bus drivers. In the mean time, parents are trying to pick up their children via cars while small children were seeing their parents but too scared to go out into literally moving traffic and screaming adults!  It was literally chaos. The small kids crying not knowing what to do, the big kids leaping into puddles and jumping in front of cars....all because no one was allowed to use the side exits...due to security they said.

We made it inside where we were questioned. I told them about being there for 4-H and they looked at me with skepticism. Finally my 7 yr old confirmed. We told them where we were going, whom we were seeing and finally we were allowed to pass. When I asked the leader about all this, she said the traffic was confusing because it was the first rainy day...that made no sense to me but I let it go.

She said that because of the bombing episodes in other states, they now have security guards at each door and they are not allowed to let anyone in during school time. They had to hire the guards because the chains on the doors were a fire hazard...chains on the doors??? And get this, that school just received an award of excellence from the President!  I asked what that meant. 

"It means we get more funding and prestige." 

I was cruel in my reply.  "Well that makes sense, give the good schools more funding and let the poor school districts scrounge for materials....that's makes loads of sense. But maybe they didn't go to YOUR school that's why they're not as bright..." 

She looked at me as if she couldn't understand. So I furthered by saying "If you turn on the radio, there is a request by Detroit Public Schools for any kind of books that they could have donated by the public for their library...seems to me like they need the funding more than you do. They can't even afford books let alone computers and art supplies."

I know it's all in the name of security. But I just couldn't send my kids to a place where they needed guards in place of chains...where I'd have to explain my even my presence just to see my child...what if he forgot his lunch...are they gonna frisk me??? Nope. I think not.