Additional school safety measures may be just one bill away.
After a call from Tuscola School Superintendent Mike Smith, State Sen. Chapin Rose championed Senate Bill 1371, which allows school districts to use door-locking mechanisms that attach to the door and are lockable and unlockable from the inside of the classroom.
The mechanisms must be unlockable from the outside by a key or tool given to police and fire departments so they can continue to act to protect those barricaded inside.
Oakwood’s Superintendent, Gary Lewis, got involved in the development of the bill alongside Salt Fork Superintendent Phil Cox, and Kyle Thompson of ROE #11 after a phone call from Sen. Rose. The group met with the State Fire Marshall and the Illinois State Board of Education for several weeks to help develop the legislation.
As classroom response procedures have changed over the years from barricading students in a classroom to accessing the situation based on ALICE (Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate or run-hide-fight) responses, Lewis says this is another cost-friendly tool that schools can add to protect students.
The device, which will slide into the bottom of the door from the inside of the classroom will keep the door from opening if an intruder tries to get into the classroom.
“This is a simple, affordable, sensible way to secure classrooms and protect students,” Rose said. “Law enforcement trains students, faculty, and staff to ‘barricade’ in the event of an immediate threat to safety from an intruder into a school. However, Illinois regulations currently prevent schools from investing in locking mechanisms that could protect our children.”
The Oakwood School District has taken measures much like many other districts throughout the country to protect their children.
They added security cameras in all buildings, added cameras and a buzzer system at the front doors to let people in, they lock the doors at all hours during the day, and have provided a school resource officer for the district.
The district also works with local law enforcement and fire departments to train the staff and students how to react in an emergency.
Lewis said the staff has also worked hard to provide a positive learning environment for students. The student council at the junior high and high school, alongside the PTO and grade school staff, paint positive messages throughout the hallways to remind students that they are valued.
Next school year, the district will also welcome a social worker intern to add another layer of resources for students.
“We try every day to make sure our students and staff are safe and can focus on education,” Lewis said. “That is and always will be my first goal for schools.”
In July, Lewis will step into a new role as the Regional Superintendent of Schools for Champaign and Ford counties.
“We will continue to partner with our districts and law enforcement to provide training to help keep the districts safe,” he said. “We will also work with the districts on anything that they ask us to look into to help in this and any other area of student safety.”
The legislation is now headed to the Illinois House for consideration in that chamber.
