School Safety

I'm fed up being scared every time I drop my daughter off at school (and all day until she's home).

Because of this fear, I have decided that I need to take action. I have contacted our Mayor, Gina Cunningham, and our Chief of Police, Brian Cunningham, to try to arrange a meeting in order to open dialogue between our community and our local government. Mayor Cunningham responded to me, within minutes, saying she will schedule a meeting this week! I have also reached out to our Congressman, Bill Foster, to ask his office for any type of help he is willing/able to provide.

What I want to accomplish is to come up with some ideas for what we can do to help our schools operate in a manner that increases safety against gun violence for students and staff alike.

These ideas do not need to be expensive; for example, door stops (~ 40 cents each) can be placed in each classroom to serve as a mini barricade.

I am not looking to advocate solely for expensive and questionably successful measures such as metal detectors. I want to discuss options that will not be a drain on our community's resources, financial or otherwise.

I am asking each of you to please comment with an idea (if you have any).

I will bring up your ideas at our meeting and in any other forum to which I am invited or attend.

Also, if any of you are active with the PTO, please try to think of ways this existing organization may be involved in this effort.

We do fund raisers all the time for school events. Let's come up with something we can raise money/awareness for that funds ideas that ensure our children have a future in which they will be able to attend these events.

Please take a few minutes and consider this. I don't want any of us to join the ranks of the families devastated a few days ago (and throughout the last 19 years) by school shootings.

Please contact me if you are able/willing to help.