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ANCHORAGE - How do we make our schools safer? That’s a question being asked across the country, as Newtown, Connecticut, continues to bury the victims from last week's mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. In Anchorage, one elementary school made a change this week that some parents said should’ve been made a long time ago. As of Monday, Mountain View Elementary began locking its front entrance, which is a new policy for the school. Parents and visitors must now call the school office before they can enter and a staff member will walk to the entrance and open the door. “So far we have gotten a lot of positive feedback from parents and from staff members,” said Principal Chris Woodward. “It's been a little bit more work for myself and for the rest of the staff in the office having to open that door on occasion, but I think it's been a positive change,” he said. Some parents think the policy should have come sooner. Back in 2001, Jason Pritchard stabbed four boys at the school. “We don't know who's going to enter those buildings at any time of the day,” said PTA President Amber Craig. "I know it's hard for the school people to remember every parent's face, and I understand that, but there needs to be something so I know my children are safe at school,” said Craig. Craig also wants an intercom and automated unlock system installed at the front entrance. “The people that have IDs, they can scan their IDs and the door opens for them, and if you don't have an ID you have to be buzzed in,” said Craig. Principal Woodward supports the idea, if it has the approval of staff and parents. “If we continue to get positive feedback about it then I think it's worth the extra work I'm happy to do it, if it creates more problems than it solves then perhaps we'll rethink that decision,” said Woodward. |
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Lindsey said on Thursday, Dec 20 at 8:40 PM
Yeah I think this is a great idea in fact, i was telling my mom that this will be the only way to keep the bad people out. I think this is a great way of showing us parents that we are trying as a community.
109712055Anonymous said on Thursday, Dec 20 at 9:34 PM
yeah its a great idea but you still must thing outside the box what if a child from the school does something. brings a gun or knife and goes crazy i think metal detectors are a good plan or searching backpacks
109714645old person said on Friday, Dec 21 at 12:14 AM
Come on, this is NOT the solution to a problem. The guy just used his gun to shoot the lock off of the door. All this does is cause more problems for the parents who want to get into the school for whatever reason. Stop the nonsense of making things harder on the normal people.
109720555Virginia said on Friday, Dec 21 at 10:28 AM
No matter where we are we are all at risk, its always best to be on the safe side and be prepared.
109758326Rick said on Saturday, Dec 22 at 11:59 AM
I like the protection but don't make it easier for killers by putting in measure which make it convenient for workers but give the killers a means to break the security. If people have swipe cards, the killer can take one from someone and get free access. Cameras and having someone open the door after identification seems to be a better plan.
109827496alaskagranma said on Saturday, Dec 22 at 9:39 PM
I like the plan for a call button, two way speaker and door release option for staff to let people in once they are identified. I live in that neighborhood, my grandchildren attend that school. I worry about children late for school without a phone to get let into the school. I have never understood why the doors into the school do not open into the office anyway.
109849501TedtheBear said on Sunday, Dec 23 at 7:05 PM
Well...you can always redesign the schools so they look like a prison facility. Walled yards for safety, limited access into the interior like going through three or four heavy locked doors with a central control room. Yep, that will keep the children very safe!! (This is joke by the way.)
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