In today’s news…

Sandy Hook Families Sue Newtown, Schools, Citing Lax Security – Hartford Courant

At least two families of victims in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have filed a lawsuit against the town of Newtown and the school board, alleging lax security on the day 20 first-graders and six adults were shot and killed.

The 66-page lawsuit was given to a state marshal on Dec. 14, the last day under state statutes that legal action could be taken against the community, and recently served at the town clerk’s office.

~~~

Sandy Hook families sue Newtown, schools, citing lax security – Chicago Tribune

Among the allegations is that Sandy Hook Elementary School had security policies and procedures in place that teachers weren’t able to follow on the day of the killings. Classroom doors could only be locked from the outside with keys, leaving teachers vulnerable to intruders, and the front of the school didn’t have security glass to protect against gunshots, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges a teacher in one of the two classrooms where students were killed was a substitute, didn’t have a key and didn’t receive training on the security protocols.

~~~

Estates of Sandy Hook students sue town, board of education – WTNH

The plaintiffs’ attorney released a statement.

“We are hopeful that the Town of Newtown’s elected and hired representatives will work with these families, who have already suffered, and continue to suffer, unimaginable loss, to help resolve this matter in the most efficient and constructive way possible,” said Donald Papcsy in the statement. “As residents of the town, we all either have, or are going to have, students in our Sandy Hook schools, and we promote the idea of learning from the past and protecting our children in the future.”

Papcsy says the jurisdiction lawsuit is for $15,000 in damages, the minimum amount to file a lawsuit for this type of case.

~~~

Sandy Hook Lawsuit: Newtown Families Seek Better School Security – International Business Times

The lawsuit describes what the plaintiffs perceive as security lapses and specifically alleges that a substitute teacher had no “knowledge of the … safety procedures and security protocols rehearsed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in case an intruder or other dangerous individual gained access to the school.” On Dec. 14, 2012, gunman Adam Lanza entered the school through doors near the schools main offices and, after killing the principal and school psychologist, entered two classrooms full of students, one of which the substitute teacher was unable to lock because she didn’t have a key.

The lawsuit also charges the town with being negligent in not having bulletproof glass on the school’s front windows, in having doors that can’t be locked from the inside, and in a lack of parking lot security, where Lanza parked his car less than 100 feet from the school entrance. 

~~~

Sandy Hook families file lawsuit against Newtown, school board – WFSB

WFSB 3 Connecticut

~~~

Your thoughts?  Will this lawsuit result in better security for new and existing schools?

You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.