While I no longer have a child in Howell schools, I am pleased to read the protocol that is published, & happy that Howell schools have only added a few new regulations. Ms. Golden, you & your team are to be congratulated for being ahead of the times regarding the safety of our students & faculty.

In my opinion, this is not good enough. More needs to be done to secure the schools and keep the children safe. Additional police officers need to be in hired and protecting the schools along with other security systems. Do you really think this policy will stop someone with an automatic assault weapon from entering a school. This is just a poor man's cheap way of emphasizing what is mostly in place within Howell K-8 schools. My 11 year-old son asked me the other day, why is there a cop in front of my school doing speed checks and not in the school to protect us. I told him it is not in the town budget and residents don’t want to pay the extra money in taxes. You are damn straight I would pay extra money in my taxes to have police presence in my son’s school just to make him feel more secure and safer. Wake-up Howell!! Do something to protect our kids before there really is an incident!!

I have had concerns over school safety for many years as my daughter was in the Howell School system a while ago. A single police officer in each school would not stop an assault rifle. Hiring an officer for each school may be a choice, but adding up all the schools in the system, & figuring in the cost to cover school related activities, which may require more than 1 officer because of more people, without a calculator, this could easily add $2k to each homeowners property tax. And when your child us no longer in the school system, are you going to be shaking your fist at the mayor & planning board? How about the movie theaters? The Malls? The Little League fields? I don't have an answer to the safety questions, but until we get better information from experts that the Safety Council will seek ideas from, the school board can only enact some protocols. I think changing out the doors, & Panic Buttons are great deterrents for now. And if you have ideas, then please send them on to the committee. In another life, I went to Ardena school. We had fire drills, & air raid drills. We went quietly out into the hall, lined up against the wall & crouched, & were quiet. These drills were part of our school life, along with paperwork sent home on Bomb Shelters. Our children now know words I never even knew in college. Lockdown, & the kids mention this as just another event in their day. Part 1

As parents, I think part of our job is to teach awareness to our kids, to be alert without taking away their childhood, to acknowledge potential for danger, without scaring them so much they won't leave their room. Part 2

There is no FULL PROOF way to stop this insanity. These measures, however, are a a step in the right direction, a safe approach for everyone without turning our schools into prisons.

It's worth pointing out that this is just the first step of what figures to be many changes coming to the district. I think the committee has only met once so far so there is still a lot more work to be done.
Anyone with suggestions is encouraged to send them to the committee or come to the next BOE meeting.

I agree with ME ME ME this is NOT good enough. No one is saying put a tank in front of the schools, apparently no one here knows how combat works, a trained expert should never be a sitting target, and you should have no idea where he is in the building and what angle he can take on an active shooter. Let’s think outside the box people CT had everything we had and it did not work 26 people dead. FYI 9 out of 10 time when a “deranged “ person is confronted from authorities they surrender,10 out of 10 times when the police arrive its already over. Police need to be in schools to stop drugs and to stop kids from bringing weapons, and give the respect to the police that they deserve.

When 9-11 took place what did we do we added armed security to the airports some have tried cowardly attacks but failed. I strongly disagree on speculation but trained professionals can take out any active shooter. I agree we can not safeguard our children in today’s society, let’s not put bars and chains on the windows BUT we need to give them a fighting chance. Please if you do not have or had children in the school system do not add your 2 cents as times have changed, my money is not worth anything to me if I do not have my kids, if you are concerned about your taxes over the value of a life maybe you should move or get a new calculator, if you have been following the current events 4 major events have happened since the CT shooting all involved schools and guns. Look at article #5 they believe they had good security in place but now all they have is a picture. Let’s wake up this can happen to us and our board is taking the easy way out.

1.But with the recent attack on a school by terrorists in Russia — and the subsequent acquisition by U.S. forces in Iraq of documented interest by Al-Qaeda of schools in the United States, which included the Rumson school district — the Howell Board of Education believed it would be prudent to take a look at security within the Howell school district
2. Shocking find at Allentown's Allen High School.
Police say a 16-year-old student is facing charges after they say he took a loaded gun into the school.
3. A 13-year-old student at Erwin Middle School in Salisbury, N.C. was caught bringing a loaded gun to school -- after he reported to the school that it went missing
4. A high school student was wounded Thursday morning near Bakersfield, Calif., after a 16-year-old with a shotgun walked into a science class and opened fire, authorities said.
5. West Philadelphia - Many parents at Bryant Elementary School in West Philadelphia are unnerved by the kidnapping that happened inside the school Monday.
They're unhappy with both the school and the district, for good reason. District officials say they have good security policies in place, but none of them were followed. And that allowed the kidnapper to have free rein.

I would like to know where your stats come from, "9 out f 10 times when a deranged person..." or "10 out of 10..." I cannot recall any episodes where either had occurred. As for leaving the area because of increased property tax, would merely mean your tax would increase yet again. As for "no one here has combat experience..." simply means to me that believe you are more knowledgeable then the rest of us. You should go directly to the board, & explain why you should be appointed to the Safety Committee to find solutions. And having a "trained expert" roaming thru the building covertly so no one knows where he is, well, that's right up there with handing guns to custodians, who roam the building & grounds. One needs to FIND them first in order to tell them of an imminent thre...opps too late, shots fired 4 dead

Is that the best you got? I take it you have not been to ANY of the safety meetings in the Howell schools? Oh wait you do not have any children in the Howell school system,you are just really concerned about your taxes. The Howell police supplied us a copy of “my stats” as you can refer to them from using Google as well. I can not believe what I am reading here. You claim a trained expert is on the same page as a janitor, you claim “one needs to find this roaming trained expert - oops too late 4 dead” so the janitor can have a 2 way radio (walkie talkie for you) for a clean up on the gym floor BUT the police (expert) does not in you well thought out plan. Let’s use your way for a minute no security guard just a janitor hiding in the corner with his mop OH wait 60 people dead, but my taxes did not go up! I appreciate your recommendation for the safety committee I have been in contact with them and the Howell police dept.

Security Guarded entry gates with cameras are surrounding corporate america, but I can write Fred Flintsone on my name tag and enter a Howell elementary school. At least id's will now be checked in schools along with sign in sheets for visitors.
It's a start but about 20 years behind the times.

Mr. Salicco, Had you read all my posts you would have understood my reference to custodians. Monday, when I learned a NJ politician was reported to have initiated a plan/bill utilizing panic buttons that could/would effectively lockdown a school & alert police of the need for immediate help, I also learned that Ohio had implemented their plan of handing guns to their custodians. Never did I say anywhere that this was a great idea. I also did not complain about taxes or put a price on life. No, I have not been to any meetings, I am housebound. I will not engage in sarcasm. My suggestion to you was that if you are so knowledgeable of all you feel the rest of us are not, was to contact the committee to join in their efforts. I have already made contact voicing my concerns. You know nothing about me or my family. Until you do, refrain from assuming I have no one in a Howell school.

Carolyn Ann, please do not engage in a conversation after you willingly furnished information about you and your family. Trying to retract what you have said in previous blogs you wrote clearly defined your value in this conversation. When it comes to the safety of our children I have no tolerance, it seems these conversations have already passed that. For the record please read my posts again as I stated NO ONE here knows how combat works, that includes myself. Read the previous post you have made esp. #3 when you did add value to life. “(1).While I no longer have a child in Howell schools (2). have had concerns over school safety for many years as my daughter was in the Howell School system a while ago (3). this could easily add $2k to each homeowners property tax. And when your child us no longer in the school system, are you going to be shaking your fist at the mayor & planning board?

Carolyn Ann, some people just have HIB personalities and I believe you have been engaged by such a person. Better to disengage.

BTW, I believe money is a valid concern. How many parents hire armed bodyguards to keep their children safe 24/7? Why are they not taking that measure? Maybe they should if money is of no concern. It is an option for parents that feel that level of need for the safety of their children.

In my opinion, there are many places that our children frequent where they are much more vulnerable than in school. Where do we draw the line between personal/parental responsiblity for safety and public responsibility for the safety of its citizens? When it is a public responsibility, which public body is responsible, BOE, local, state, federal and to what extent?

Veracious,

I am glad you have another person to now talk with that share’s your concerns. We send our kids to school to be safe, shootings in schools are on the rise. No one said money is NOT a concern but apparently the both of you did not do your homework, government grants pay for such things as safety in our school so it’s not as big of an expense as you may think, I guess many other schools that are now doing this must be wrong. For someone to say our kids can not be safe 24/7 is correct BUT they should be safe in school it’s your option to send your son to hang out at the mall or movie theaters, other schools have found ways to pay for this with out taking your last penny, I wonder if they found out about homeland security grant programs (SHSGP). I take it you have not been at any of the safety meeting as well? To answer your question many parents such as Marines, Navy, police officers volunteered there time to stay at the school but were told not at this time so we can not take that measure. 1 of 2

answer to your second question : "When it is a public responsibility, which public body is responsible, BOE, local, state, federal and to what extent"?
Law provides that a student is subject to the control and authority of the school once the student leaves her or his house on the way to school.

"A pupil shall: (a) comply with the policies of the trustees and the rules of the school that the pupil attends; (b) pursue the required course of instruction; (c) submit to the authority of the teachers, principal, and district superintendent of the district; and (d) be subject to the control and authority of the teachers, principal, and district superintendent while the pupil is in school or on school premises, on the way to and from school, or during intermission or recess." Code Ann. §20-5-201(d)

There is going to be a great deal of differences of opinion on this, what people will find reassuring, necessary, unnecessary, alarming etc. It will be up to the Safety Task Force to make recommendations that strike a balance that is acceptable to the majority without overburdening the community.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Some people are just not respectful of that fact.