FOX19 -
Following
Friday's shooting in Newtown, many parents have questioned what safety measures
are being taken in Tri-state schools. FOX19 reached out to school safety
experts to find the questions all parents should be asking.
In
Kentucky, the Center for School Safety performs dozens of free safety
assessments at schools across the state each year. Conner High School in Hebron
had one just last March.
"I
have really not come across any school in this state that does not have some
kind of emergency plan in place," Lucy Riffle told FOX19. "Some of them need to
be more updated than others but they all do have them."
As
a former high school principal in Northern Kentucky and KCSS safe school
associate, Riffle understands the importance of school safety.
She
says there are four questions any parent can ask to help gauge safety at their
kids' schools:
- Are
there emergency plans in place?
- Are
those plans updated every year?
- Do
they train faculty and staff?
- Do
they practice the drills with students?
Riffle
says do not expect the school to hand safety plans over.
"If
a parent knows then a possible bad guy could find out too," she explained.
Riffle
added that all staff, beyond just teachers, should be trained on the safety
protocol.
"One
way parents could know whether or not they have emergency plans is to talk to
their children. Asking them if they've done a lockdown drill," Riffle
suggested.
In
Kentucky, all schools are required by law to practice at least one lockdown
drill every year.
"Another
thing is just for parents to be observant when they're going to the schools.
Are their doors locked? Are they asked who they are when they're trying to get
into the schools? A lot of times schools are faced with the problem of parents
complaining about that and they must remember that these procedures are in
place for their protection," Riffle explained.
Riffle
says parents in Kentucky can also ask their school if they have received an
assessment from KCSS in recent years. The free reports survey students and
parents, assess preventative measures being taken, and review potential
infrastructure issues.
Riffle
is not aware of any requirement to send safety reports to the state like Ohio's
Attorney General has required.
"I
would rather see those resources spent on the schools themselves instead of
over some bureaucracy," Riffle said.
According
to KCSS director Jon Akers, since 2009
Kentucky's school safety funding has been cut by nearly 60 percent. He says
that was money that went for everything from funding school resources officers,
to infrastructure improvements, and alternative education.
Copyright 2012 WXIX. All rights reserved.
FOX19-WXIX
