Says Chief Shon Barnes after Georgia school shootings!
As the Chief of Police in Madison, I am deeply concerned about the safety of our students in the wake of the most recent school shooting in Georgia. It is a tragic reminder of the harsh reality that we live in a world where school shootings have become all too common.
Yesterday’s tragic incident marks over 40 school shootings nationwide in just over one month of education. We cannot afford to be complacent, nor can we allow our biases or political beliefs to oppose good common sense when it comes to the safety of our children.
“Imagine if it were your own child in danger at school. Would you not want the reassurance of knowing that there is a trained law enforcement officer on campus to protect them? The safety of our children should always be our top priority, and we must take all necessary precautions to ensure their well-being.”
As someone who has uniquely served as a public-school teacher (history and world civilization), a school resource officer (middle and high school), and as chief of police in Madison, I am well-positioned to assert that reinstating School Resource Officers (SROs) in the Madison School District is a vital step towards enhancing school safety. This is especially pertinent given the lack of federal action on common-sense gun control legislation. SROs are not just any police officers; they are carefully chosen and rigorously trained to operate within educational environments. Their presence on school grounds serves multiple purposes: they are a deterrent to potential threats, they foster positive interactions with students, and they are poised to react swiftly in the event of an emergency.
Some may argue that we should rely on school counselors and psychologists to address safety concerns in schools. While these professionals play a crucial role in supporting the mental health and well-being of students, they are not equipped to handle armed individuals who pose a threat to the safety of students and staff. We cannot expect them (or our amazing teachers) to confront an active shooter or potentially dangerous situation.
Let us not allow politics to override the safety of our children. We must prioritize their safety above all else. We cannot take safety for granted, and we must take proactive steps to prevent tragedies like the one in Georgia from happening in our own community.
I respectfully urge the Madison School Board to seriously consider the reinstatement of School Resource Officers as part of a comprehensive approach to school safety and as a support for the dedicated employees of the MMSD. Let us start the conversation and reimagine school safety to ensure that our children are protected and can learn in a safe and secure environment.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: That should be the price for any consideration of either the city’s or the school’s referenda. Let the school board know; tell your city alders, too.
10 responses to “Restore school resource police officers!”
Don’t allow guns in the schools, seems as if that’s the best way to stop school shootings…
.Wisconsin statute 948.605 “Gun-free school zones”. Already a law in this state.
Exactly, because who is going to shake down a gun slinger? The guidance counselor?
Counselors, Blaska…COUNSELORS…are the WAVE of the future.
Word of advice?
Keep yer powder dry!
The Gotch
Remember at Laffalot High last Spring when staff told Security guards to stand down when a student had a gun? It’s to late. Reality has escaped MMSD. DEI is in charge and is top dog. The new push is to hide the fact a certain demographics is causing the majority of the problems in the schools. Welcome to the TwiLight Zone.
Off topic, but I like how the police chief gets the lefts catch phrase in. ” common sense gun control legislation.” Maybe the DA’s office could prosecute more of the current laws.
When they bring back the SROs (which will happen shortly after a school shooting in Madison,) they should all carry an AR-15s and wear full body armor. It’s called a show of force. The message is loud and clear. There’s a reason why El Al is the only airline in the world to have never had a hijacking. They have two highly visible, heavily armed, uniformed soldiers, and two plain clothes marshals on each flight. If Ali Muldrow thinks the SROs (who were ALL minorities) were racists, she should address the “racism” instead of eliminating the protection. The total BS in the study they love to cite, shows SROs arrested black kids out of proportion to white kids. As if it was not possible that they were misbehaving out of proportion to their numbers. News flash Ali, dead kids and teachers is a lot worse than imaginary discrimination.
First week of school and Madison Police called to Madison East High School for student threatening others with pepper spray ( channel 3000 ).
since dei is all about skin color, will you please listen to the man of color to reinstate SROs!!
What are the odds that Madison progressives take the advice of a real authority on school security over feel good DEI claptrap? Slim to none, leaning much closer to none.