Nothing as Important as School Security
The recent shooting across the street from Nelson School (Times, Jan. 15) requires that the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District increase security measures.
Schools are no different from any other valuable property; just as banks, factories, shopping malls and government buildings require security services, every one of our campuses must have a 24-hour security surveillance! The money saved from the prevention of theft, graffiti, fires, vandalism, lawsuits and increasing deductible insurance payments would eventually pay for the cost of security expenses.
If our school board members found the money to finance the $350,000 Wilson High School stadium, they can find the money to protect the precious lives of employees and students. If they can find thousands of tax dollars to pay for useless conference trips, they can find the money to pay for security guards, guard dogs and fences with locked gates.
As long as we are going to have never-ending, numerous fund-raisers, every penny we get from bingo games, candy sales, yearbooks, football gate receipts, class rings, dances, carwashes, carnivals, talent shows, etc., should be allotted for security costs.
There is absolutely nothing more important than the prevention of potential harm to employees and students! I hope and pray that the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Board of Education members do not wait until we suffer injuries or death before they implement realistic, practical and adequate security measures!
GILBERT A. RUBIO
La Puente High School teacher
La Puente
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