In an interview with News 8 Tuesday, February 26, the District’s police chief said that Dallas elementary schools are not safe enough. DISD Police Chief Craig Miller proposes the $4.5 million raised from a 2008 school bond be used to retrofit the 1400 portables in DISD schools with upgraded safety and security measures. He recommends that new eye ports be installed in each portable and has begun with an area school portable building which houses an elementary school math class. Since the tragedy at Sandy Hooks, Chief Miller has made such security upgrades a top priority. Without peepholes, students and teachers have no way of knowing who might be outside the door.
These and other safety measures will be taken up by the Board of Trustees during their monthly meeting on Thursday, February 28 at 5:30 PM, Administration Building, Ada L. Williams Auditorium at 3700 Ross Ave. Other proposed upgrades to be brought before the Board would be as follows:
• Elementary Schools would have buzzer systems and cameras installed at entrances
• Secondary Schools would have more security cameras installed
• Portable Buildings would receive one-way observation portals
The Chief admits that these are just measures to keep the majority of the people who might come in to harm children or teachers out. “If the person is a lunatic, and is willing to die for a cause, it’s very difficult to stop them completely,” comments Chief Miller. The Board will take up these issues on Thursday; however, they will not discuss whether there should be armed teachers in DISD classrooms. The Chief takes a very strong stance against that, saying it is not a very good idea and adds that the recommended safety measures are all that needs to be in place for now.
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