New safety measures added to elementary schools
8:31 p.m. Thursday, September 25, 2008
When Vidal Rodriguez goes to State Street Elementary to pick up his oldest daughter, he is greeted by something that wasn't there last year: locked doors.
"I think it's great," Rodriguez said while playing cards with his younger daughter. "Now nobody can just enter at whatever time they want. I'm just thankful for the people, whoever thought of that idea, they're doing very good."
Last school year, anyone could walk in the doors of the elementary schools and have direct access to the kids inside. There were friendly reminders for visitors to check-in at the office, but no forced entry points. Now everyone, parents, teachers, and staff, must "check-in with Bonnie" as signs proclaim before getting access to State Street.
"These are our kids," said Principal Clardy Vinson. "We take good care of them."
Vinson says fences used to be enough protection for kids, but the stranger-danger motto has become even more real in the 21st century.
"It's not a major concern, but we like to know who's visiting our school," Vinson said. "Why wait until something happens when you could avoid it? We've just taken the proactive precautionary measures."
Those precautions taken inside the building have given Rodriguez more peace of mind while he waits outside for his daughter.
"For me, she's everything to me," Rodriguez said. "If something were to happen to her, I would probably, don't know what to do."
At least ten elementary schools got those new air locks over the summer.
Eventually, every elementary school in Topeka Public Schools will have some sort of airlock system that visitors must go through.
Topeka School Security Investigation
- What school safety drills, or the lack thereof, could mean to your student (April 29, 2007)
- Safety expert: Kansas administrators shortsighted (April 30, 2007)
- USD 501 leaders respond to 49 investigation (May 1, 2007)
- School officials retracting statements from 49 News investigation (May 2, 2007)
- Governor addressing gaps in school safety (June 8, 2007)
- Police practice responding to active shooters (June 21, 2007)
- Local schools beef up security (August 16, 2007)
- Task force recommends school safety improvements (September 10, 2007)
- Homeland Security checking Topeka schools (September 12, 2007)
- Homeland Security starts tour of USD 501 schools (September 19, 2007)
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