Students, teachers and parents call for action following Apalachee High shooting
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Students, teachers and parents are asking the Barrow County school board to do more to protect campuses following the shooting at Apalachee High School.
“On September 4th, I put my entire class in a storage closet attached to my classroom and we hid there for half an hour, listening to our coworkers and classmates being murdered,” said Erin Dunlap, a science teacher at Apalachee High School.
“Never will I forget the sounds of gunshots, witnessing injured people get wheeled out on stretchers, and the fear I felt as I cowered in a corner,” said Isabel Trejo, a student who was in Coach Aspinwall’s classroom when he was shot and killed.
Testimony from students and a teacher from Apalachee High School recounted the dark day two teachers and two students were killed on campus.
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“I do not want your thoughts and prayers. I want your action and your policy changes,” said Dunlap.
During the public comment portion of Tuesday’s school board meeting, parents, students and teachers asked for change.
“Do something, anything,” said Shawn Schultz, the father of an Apalachee High School student.
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“Increase security presence, definitely. Also, the addition of clear bag, a clear bag policy, for everyone in schools, and then also AI weapons detectors,” said Trejo.
Students say besides increased security immediately following the shooting, there have been no policy changes.
“Seeing the inaction and seeing how counties around us, both before and in response to our tragedy, they’re having the change we want to see, that’s so upsetting and disheartening,” said Sasha Contreras, a student at Apalachee High School.
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The Barrow County superintendent reassured the district that steps are being taken to secure campuses.
“We have istered a survey to our entire community. Just last week we met with our SROs to discuss what their thoughts and are in of safety measures that they feel like are necessary,” said Dr. Dallas LeDuff.
The results of that survey and the SRO (school resource officer) meeting will be discussed in the school board workshop meeting Jan. 28.
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