Las Virgenes District reevaluates school safety procedures

Worried about 'copycat' crimes



Are our children safe in school?

In light of the recent violence in schools across the nation, the Las Virgenes Unified School District last week put the issue of student safety back under the microscope.

“Anytime there’s a shooting on a campus, we get calls,” said Donald Zimring, deputy superintendent. Most often, frightened parents request police surveillance, metal detectors, or school fencing on local campuses in the hope these measures will prevent tragedies such as those recently in Colorado, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

“This district is blessed with the relationship we have with law enforcement,” Zimring said. “They are very protective and caring.”

After the latest rash of school killings, Zimring said the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station stepped up campus patrols, not because there was any direct threat to students and teachers, but to guard against the slight possibility of “copycat” crimes.

Zimring said the difficulty in creating a profile of who might commit such heinous crimes is that there are generally no specific indicators.

“There is no profile,” Zimring said. “We’re talking about events that can’t be controlled. The brutal truth is we have to challenge strangers on campus.”

Las Virgenes schools periodically conduct lock-down drills and other safety precautions. Practice, Zimring said, keeps students and staff prepared, but doesn’t make them perfect.

“The faculty knows how to respond” in an emergency, he said.

Board members discussed other possible safety measures, including fitting classrooms with internal locks. Zimring said internal locks are considered fire hazards.

“The fire department doesn’t like anything that impedes immediate exit,” Zimring said.

Board member Dave Moorman wondered if push button locks might work as an alternative, but apparently commercial doors don’t come with such options.

Board President Cindy Iser called for more security cameras on campuses.

Zimring said bond measure money will pay for more security cameras, but cameras wouldn’t preclude a tragedy from happening.


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