Login

Letter to the editor: Protecting children’s lives is worth the extra cost

Print

In response to the recent article taking steps to improve school security in our area. Recently I was at the Bluewater Elementary School my last week of service assigned by Sheriff Tony Mace to give schools extra security due to the recent incident in Florida.

I was upset to see cameras in the school had not worked in three years, and the he person responsible for damaging them had nothing done to him. I was also told the fire alarm at San Rafael Elementary was not working, and because cell phone service in that area often does not work a fire radio was giving to the school in case of an emergency.  I was also told the doors at San Rafael had to be left open with the locks engaged so doors could be shut in an emergency.  But better dead bolt locks still need to be put in so doors can be locked and or unlocked from the inside.

A company last year rolled out a new active shooter computer controlled systems for schools for about 2000 dollars each.  It would lock doors automatically, call the police, show on smart phones, and computers were in the building shots were coming from to include showing the responding police were to go. The Albuquerque Public School system declined because it would be too expensive to put in all their schools.  So the question is how much are these children really worth at the end of the day.

In the Sandy Hook incident one nurse was forced to hide under her desk while a teacher had to hide children in a closet.  Question where there no doors that could have been locked to keep the killer out until police arrived?  Perhaps this school like many others figured it would never happen here so they spent little or no money on security. The results are always the same, no one questions the people in charge could they have done more to prevent the tragedy? The people in charges of these schools are superintendents, principals, and or school boards they bear this responsibility.

These people make the decisions to spend money or not for security, and it may take some of them being held civilly libel before the get the message to do there job the next time. Yes that means the law enforced that failed in Florida as well. So next time you send your kids to school take a look around, ask questions, make sure these people know you are going to hold them responsible if anything happens to your children. They are your kids, and its your tax dollars, and believe me most school superintendents get at least 100K starting, and according to the internet the average teacher in Cibola County gets 43K so many of them that have worked here for any amount of time should be well above that.

Signed Mr. Harry L. Hall

Retired Police Officer 32.5 years

Grants, NM