Security buzzer systems to be installed at all Holly Area School buildings
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| Wednesday, March 13 2013 |
Holly resident David Cornelius...
HOLLY, Michigan – Holly
area resident David Cornelius is a retired police officer and has been a
firearm instructor and shooting range master for the past 15 years.
Cornelius
used the public comment segment of the March 11 Holly Area Schools
Board of Education meeting to tell board members that he favors having
armed security guards and/or armed teachers in all of the Holly Area
School buildings.
“If people are properly trained and placed in
schools, we could certainly avoid a situation like the one that happened
in Connecticut,” Cornelius said referencing the December mass shooting
at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CN. “It took the police 10
minutes to respond – nobody in the school was armed and unfortunately,
there was more mayhem and misery that took place before police did
arrive.”
In addition to suggesting that each school employ an armed
security guard, Cornelius also advocates training teachers to carry
weapons in the schools. “There again, I think it’s a good idea,” he
said. “There are alarm systems that are available and can be placed in
the rooms – if something happens, they’re set off and all the teachers
know,” he said. “Those with weapons would be in a different position and
if there is an armed security guard in there or a police officer, they
would definitely be able to take action.”
During
his report to the board, Barnes discussed a buzzer system that will
soon be installed in the district’s buildings, and addressed Cornelius’
thoughts.
“There have been a lot of discussions regarding safety –
obviously we’re concerned about safety,” Barnes said. “But what we want
to have is a very well-thought out response, not a knee jerk, and what
we will be having installed into our buildings will be the buzzer
system, for lack of a better term.”
Barnes said he has taken the
time to speak with local police and government officials on the matter
or ensuring staff and student safety in the schools.
“The issue
of teachers carrying weapons – there is a lot of pros and cons to that,”
Barnes said. “Most people in education didn’t go into education to
shoot armed weapons – they went in because they cared about kids and
wanted to teach,” he added. “I don’t disagree that we want to take all
prudent steps, but we can’t make our schools prisons – they still have
to be safe, secure and inviting.”
While Barnes didn’t dismiss
Cornelius’ idea of allowing teachers and other staff members to carry
concealed weapons in the schools, he said if that were to happen,
adequate discussion followed by adequate training would be crucial.
“We
have individuals who have never shot a weapon,” Barnes said. “I think
they would almost be afraid to carry a water pistol – those are not the
people that you want, it’s not for everyone.”
Barnes said he
expects legislation on the topic to be presented and passed in the
future. “What I believe the governor wants is to allow each individual
school district to make that final decision,” he said. “No one is
arguing that we don’t need to provide as much safety as we can for our
students and staff and our community members in our buildings – the
crucial issue is how we can accomplish this and that’s why discussions
are still ongoing.”
Assistant
Superintendent of Administrative Services Steve Lenar said buzzer
security systems are scheduled to be installed in all of the district’s
school buildings later this month. Lenar said it is the goal to have all
installations completed and the system up and running by May 1.
Lenar
said the buzzer system will cost the district between $16,000 and
$18,000, and that all of the funds will come from the district’s
maintenance budget.
Because the cost of the system is less than
$20,000, the issue has been handled administratively, and without a vote
by the board. |
I think having guns in the schools has a lot more potential to cause harm than good.
I'd
rather take the risk of the small percentage chance someone shows up to
a school with a weapon with intent to do harm (i.e. Sandy Hook) versus
the everyday chance that someone comes across one of the several weapons
floating around the school.
How many times do you read a news
article where someone who was armed successfully defended themselves?
Yes, it happens occasionally. I read an article recently about a teacher
in Detroit being robbed in the parking lot and it ended with the victim
shooting and killing the robber, but it's rare.
Now how many
times do you read an article about a kid that came across their parent's
gun and something bad came of it? This seems to be the much more common
story.
I realize it all goes to responsible gun ownership but
even trained police officers occasionally have a lapse and leave their
weapon in a bathroom stall, etc.
