Local schools stand behind classroom security devices despite fire safety fears – News Net 5
The Madison Local School District installed [the devices] in its classrooms as well but Deputy Superintendent Angela Smith told newsnet5,com by phone teachers have been instructed not to use the devices in school drills. Asked if they would use the devices in a real scenario, Smith said teachers would be asked to use their best judgment.
Lawmakers like State Representative Kristina Roegner of Hudson and Senator Frank LaRose of Akron have authored bills designed at clearing up the current language barrier so devices could be used in special situations.
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Grant money will enhance school security – Traverse City Record-Eagle
The Leelanau County Sheriff’s Department received $128,750 from a Michigan State Police school safety grant, and Sheriff Mike Borkovich said every penny will go toward installing a tool designed to make doors impenetrable.
“I think it’s very much just like a caveman picking up a gigantic rock and putting it on the front of its cave,” Borkovich said. “You are not going to be able to go through that door. It buys us time.”
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Arkansas Senate bill SB796 has been signed by the governor and is now Act 606. If you’re not familiar with this bill, there is a link to a news report here.
12-13-117. Temporary door barricade devices. A person may install and use a temporary door barricade device or security lockdown device for security purposes to protect individuals during active shooter events or other similar situations.
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Knob-set’s at this school in the video?! As a educational facility they should be upgrading to ADA compliant lever-set’s anyway, and then it’s just a step away from a good mortise-lock that an instructor can lock-down from the inside! They’ll probably buy plastic lever retrofits next.
Oh great. If you “practice the way you play” you learn things like muscle memory. If you play the way you practice and practice isn’t done to real-life scenarios, well?
Thanks for giving the intruder the Visual Indicator that someone is in the room. They cannot be put on the door unless someone is inside and they are totally visible from the outside.
I was thinking the exact same thing.
If there is a deranged attacker going through the school, they will know that there are people behind those doors because of the outside portion of the barricade stop.
They are leaving just so much open for interpretation in a clause like you have quoted from Arkansas…..
Not only is this setting a dangerous precedent;I want to know who would want to open the door to install this device while there is an active shooter coming down the hall? The money could have been better spent on doors that lock from the inside.
It’s what I have been saying all along-allow these devices to be used during active shooter events and hopefully save lives. They should be secured in a convenient place for the staff to easily access them, but not accessible to students. Thorough training should be required by all teachers and staff in the proper way to use the devices.
The thing with keeping it secured and easily accessible are two completely different things. If you secure it then it takes time to get it out which you could easily in that time lock a door from the inside or outside. If it’s easily accessible then the students could get their hands on it and secure a room outside of its intended use (assaulting another student, faculty member or even themselves), and then even the proper authorities for entry wouldn’t be able to enter when needed.
Bob Ka-it’s like the home alarm salespeople say: The fact that you have a home alarm and sign in your yard will not stop someone from breaking in but they might choose another house without an alarm / sign instead. I do agree it would be better if there wasn’t an obvious indication that someone is in the room.
Sheriff Mike Borkovich sounds like a caveman!! The ignorance of these people that should know better is astonishing.
The door shoe or closer arm cover are feel good appliances. In reality a $5.00 Cane Bolt would serve the same purpose, while being much more secure, convenient and you don’t have to open the door to deploy. But why not install the proper hardware? Honestly almost anyone can break into a typical classroom door in less than 10 seconds if they are determined and know what to do.
It looks like they have the solution they need without inhibiting egress….The door chock had already been shot 3 times by a 45ACP. Equip and train the teachers in proper handgun usage. A great deterrent to any intruder is the thought that behind every door is an armed and proficient user. Chances are the assaults would move from schools to another venue. Of course they could invest in proper doors,hardware and access control, but as we all know the budget gets trimmed when division 8 is discussed.
Sheriff Mike is reacting to political rhetoric and wants to get reelected. The Fire Marshal?? Well it’s a shame that someone so clueless had been elevated to a position of protecting the public. Professional and Politician are opposing forces in this case.
Let us look the real issue here. The gunman.
The gunman attacks an undefended public arena such as a elementary school, college campus, movie theatre, churches or military halls. All these places are not allowing guns of any sort. Therefore, not allowing people to defend themselves when there life is endangered and is at risk of death.
School teachers should be able to barricade themselves and their students in a safe place with what ever means possible.
These gunman are cowards and would not try their evil acts if they knew that the people inside are armed and know how to use their weapons against their evil.
A person who has just barricaded themselves in a classroom and has pulled their gun and knows exactly what to do when evil come through the door has a much better chance of stopping that coward, saving their life and others.
We need to stop being such easy targets.
So why not just start using entrance function locks?
Some schools are doing that. It’s not my first choice because there is no control of who is locking the door, but it would be better than a barricade.
Yes. The argument is going too far the the wrong direction.
So a lock with a thumb turn or push button (something simple) cannot be used because of the possibility of an unauthorized person locking the door. Well it seems as if this would still be an issue with the “barracade”. Or is the barricade locked in a cabinet? Which I should mention would defeat the purpose of not having a classroom security lock. I believe an entry function lock should be used and if there is a situation with an unauthorized lock down, that’s where the teacher’s KEY ON A LANYARD would come into play. Or go back to the classroom security, plain and simple. I think overall the issue should be keeping the “intruder” or “guns” out of the school to begin with. EVEN BETTER! HAVE ALL CLASSROOM DOORS EQUIPPED WITH STOREROOM LOCKS AND THE OPENING CAN HAVE A HOLD OPEN FEATURE THAT IS TIED INTO THE SECURITY SYSTEM AND/OR TIMING DEVICE. Basically every time you need into the classroom a key is needed. all the teacher has to do is make sure the door is closed at the beginning of every class. THIS ALSO ALLOWS CONSTANT FREE EGRESS.