After the altercation at Montgomery High School on Monday, March 1 that left 16-year-old Jayden Pienta dead and another student in the hospital with a stab wound, several walkouts were performed throughout the local district where students and parents called for heightened security measures on campuses.
As mentioned In a previous article from the STAR, there were “97 calls for a response from the school in the past 12 months. There were 945 calls for police response for all Santa Rosa schools in 2022.” This was after the police presence on school campuses was removed in the summer of 2020. So what do schools do now? Do they reinstate a police presence, or do they figure out different security measures to employ without the police?
In the last several weeks, there has been an increase in calls for a response by law enforcement on local school campuses. On the day of the stabbing, there was a report of a firearm on campus at Maria Carrillo High School, and a week prior, a fire that was possibly set by a student at the same school. Last Tuesday, school faculty found a hunting knife in its sheath in a student’s bag during a routine search upon entering campus. Without extra security measures, and without police presence, similar incidents are more likely to occur.
However, police officers on campus, especially many to heighten security, could come across as intimidating and concerning for students and parents. What if metal detectors were installed or an increase in security guard presence as opposed to law enforcement?
SSU Alumni Lauren Yagi worked locally as a student teacher in the Multiple Subject Credential Program offered by the university. When asked about possible solutions, Yagi mentioned that a police presence would make students and faculty feel safer coming to school every day. She continued, “When it comes to metal detectors, it sounds like a great idea at first. But, students would most likely find another route,” influencing students to be more deceitful.
Current SSU student Trinity Jane is a full-time student teacher in the same program as Yagi. Jane works at an elementary school in Rohnert Park. “It’s disheartening and frustrating,” Jane comments, adding that she doesn’t want the kids she teaches to feel like they need to bring weapons to protect themselves at a place that is supposed to make them feel safe and comfortable.
When asked for her thoughts about school safety, Jane said, “I don’t think a lot of this is related to school safety… There needs to be more mental health intervention.” She noted that teachers have become so caught up in curriculum and setting goals for students to pass tests to boost the schools’ scores, that they’ve forgotten to work on the emotional needs of the students. “We spend so much energy on our high flyers and big behavior kiddos that so many more slip between the cracks.”
A police presence on campus might not prevent crime, but other security protocols could. If schools use search methods similar to what people go through in airports, it could prevent crimes from being committed and instill confidence in students that their campuses will be safe. For example, students could walk through metal detectors and get their bags searched, similar to Amarosa Academy’s system. It is clear that school systems need to do so much more for their students.
