School Safety and Security from Sea to Shining Sea

School Safety and Security from Sea to Shining Sea

From the East Coast Boston bombings to now the West Coast town of Valley Springs, California, where 8-year-old Leila Fowler was found stabbed to death in her home, security and safety seems to be a heightened reality in the minds of Americans. Gone are the days when you can simply allow your child to walk to school, play outside in the yard alone or even now, leave them in the “safety” of their own home, as the Fowler family has so horrifically discovered.

Yesterday, sheriff deputies made their presence known, on foot as well as in patrol cars, at Jenny Lind Elementary School, where classmates carried flowers for Leila as terrified parents and the shaken community congregated in response to the tragedy.

According to the Calaveras County Coroner’s Office, the little girl died of shock and hemorrhages caused by multiple stab wounds minutes after arriving at the hospital.


Currently, no suspect has been named and police have only a few clues to piece together at this point:

  • Leila’s brother said that he and his sister were home alone on Saturday.
  • Leila’s brother said he saw an intruder leaving the house.
  • Leila’s brother found his sister stabbed.
  • Fingerprints have been collected.
  • A collection of what the police believes to be DNA has been collected.
  • Fingerprints and DNA – hoping to be processed within the next week.

From these clues and Leila’s brother’s account of the incident, police are searching for a white or Hispanic male, muscular build about 6 feet tall, wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt and blue pants.

While it’s clear that Leila’s tragedy occurred in her home, her school felt the need to heighten security protocols due yet to another horrific situation.

As I pass through all the school security articles and news on a daily basis, I am really shocked by the majority of the headlines:

“Polson Schools look at beefing up security after Newtown Tragedy”

“Elementary school Increases Security in wake of Sandy Hook”

“Schools Increase Security following Sandy Hook Tragedy”

“Security Guards now Armed at Butler Area School District”

Tragedy Spurs Dracut Girl’s Quest for Safer Schools”

From this brief sampling from a quick Google search, I bolded the key words that are troubling, because they all reflect the fact that schools are waiting until a tragedy occurs to take an on-going, active role in school security.

I pose this question: “Why wait until tragedy strikes, whether within your neighborhood, across the nation, or in another country BEFORE you take an active role in helping with schools' security and safety efforts?”

(Source: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/29/us/california-stabbing-death/index.html)

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

  • Study: Only 35 Percent of Companies Include Cybersecurity Teams When Implementing AI

    Only 35 percent of cybersecurity professionals or teams are involved in the development of policy governing the use of AI technology in their enterprise, and nearly half (45 percent) report no involvement in the development, onboarding, or implementation of AI solutions, according to the recently released 2024 State of Cybersecurity survey report from ISACA, a global professional association advancing trust in technology. Read Now

  • New Report Series Highlights E-Commerce Threats, Fraud Against Retailers

    Trustwave, a cybersecurity and managed security services provider, recently released a series of reports detailing the threats facing the retail sector, marking the second year of its ongoing research into these critical security issues. Read Now

  • Stay Secure in 2024: Updated Cybersecurity Tips for the Office and at Home

    Cyber criminals get more inventive every year. Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve and are a moving target for business owners in 2024. Companies large and small need to employ cybersecurity best practices throughout their organization. That includes security integrators, manufacturers, and end users. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction. 3

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3