SCHOOLS: A plan that would work

Editor’s note: This letter was originally published in 2018.

Our nation is hurting from the continued attacks on our children as they try to put in their day in their local schools. It used to be certain that our children started the day without any concern of harm at one of the safest places, their classroom. Now many are fearful an attack will happen here in Coeur d’Alene.

In the meantime the debate continues about guns, mental health, security guards, and other security measures. The debate continues, but so does the killing.

While the debate continues, about guns or people, the one area that would improve safety tomorrow is better control over access into the physical space of our schools. Below are some thoughts for North Idaho to consider for our school districts.

Control access into and out of our schools.

We should consider having all ingress through one or two entryways. Entries to schools must have metal detection scanners, supervised by Resource Officers. Any metal is investigated at the entry.

All other doors have hardware modified to be emergency exits only. All doors have security cameras installed, with full-time monitoring in the administrative area of the school.

As the single entry will cause delays for the beginning of class, entry will be stepped by class. For example, freshman are to arrive by 7:30, sophomores by 7:45, juniors by 8:00, seniors by 8:15. Students are to go to a study hall while they wait for class to begin. Departure at the end of the day could also be stepped by time, or some of the emergency exists could be used with 100% monitoring.

In order to control who comes in and when, all students will be registered with a facial recognition system that would be part of the entry screening. Unauthorized individuals would not pass the entry checkpoint without the resource officer review.

The facial scan would also be the control mechanism for required class entry times. Variations of the entry times could be adjusted by administration to accommodate activities, etc.

Access into our schools must be monitored by an ironclad system of metal detection. The use of technology will easily assist in who comes in and when. The adjustments in class times is a significant change, but one that is manageable given the risk and safety issues for our children.

JOHN BARLOW

Coeur d’Alene