Safety Procedures Announced by Logan-Hocking Schools
By: Madelyn Young
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The Logan-Hocking School System has begun a campaign to encourage the community to be the eyes and ears for a safer environment. The district is improving its school-safety plan by implementing “If you see something, say something.”
Parents of students gathered in Logan-Hocking Middle School Thursday to hear about new safety measures on campus. These actions include:
- Local tip line
- Additional resource officer
- Additional cameras
- Better monitoring of cameras
Superintendent Monte Bainter said the most important change will be for the school community to become more sensitive to indicators that something is about to happen.
“When tragedy happens, you can always look back and there are signs, warning signs,” he said. “We have to be in front of that, we have to recognize those signs.”
It Takes Teamwork
The Logan Police Department and the Hocking County Sheriff’s Department are working together on the changes. Bainter said he is planning to add an extra resource officer from Hocking County Sheriff’s Department.
“You have to understand that takes time, that it takes training,” he said.
Cameron Jordan, a senior at Logan-Hocking High School said he remembers how he felt when he heard about a threat from two weeks ago.
“That’s when it hit me; I don’t feel as safe as I used to in our school,” he said. “That’s when I felt physically sick to my stomach, when I got the call that school was canceled due to the possibility of a threat.”
Jordan said that he thinks that the school’s procedures need to be updated. He said he is planning a march on April 20th, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine Shooting.
“I’m working with Logan High School to organize a walkout, which is where we would go out – ours would be on the football field, and we’re going to protest gun violence and try to make everything a safer environment,” Jordan said.
After Thursday’s meeting, parents and students shared their beliefs on what should happen next for Logan-Hocking schools.
After the meeting Jordan said the meeting was helpful, but didn’t go far enough.
“I feel kind of indifferent,” he said. “I feel that there should definitely be more meetings like this, and that tonight’s was not long enough.”
However, Bainter said that it takes the whole community to be proactive.
“It takes all of us working together for solutions, not blame, to create the safest possible environment,” he said.
