Making Schools Safer

The recent spate of school shootings by students, including the worst in U.S. history at Columbine High School last month, has caused many schools to reconsider their security systems and safety policies. Some have implemented simple procedures, such as requiring student IDs and uniforms, while others have installed high-tech surveillance systems.

High-profile security measures aren’t always the answer, however, and tend to cost more than schools can afford. Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Center in Westlake Village said that every school should have a crisis plan. “Despite all the high-tech strategies, the single most effective strategy for making schools safe is the physical presence of a responsible adult,” he said.

At Los Angeles Unified School District, there are no walk-through metal detectors, but every secondary school is required to perform at least one hand-held metal detector search at random each day.