Target: Richneck Elementary Interim Principal Karen Lynch
Goal: Appreciate the school board for strengthening the security in elementary schools.
Earlier this month, Richneck Elementary in Newport News witnessed an unfortunate shooting incident. A 6-year-old shot a teacher in the hand, sending shockwaves all across the country. A meeting was convened where parents and teachers expressed their views on the matter. The ForceChange community took notice and sent this petition demanding a better security apparatus within the elementary school. The petition highlighted critical lapses in the existing security system and stood by the concerned citizens to demand change. The installation of metal detectors in Newport News Public Schools was long overdue, even after two other shooting incidents in 2021. The board finally took action and installed state-of-the-art metal detectors on its premises.
School authorities had ordered the metal detectors soon after the incident but the question remained as to when they would be installed. High schools in Newport News already had metal detectors, but they were not being put to use. Also, the school was non-committal to deploying adequate resources, critical for additional security. The petition from the ForceChange community placed a strong emphasis on these potential security loopholes. At last, the authorities decided to deploy two security officers in the building at all times, apart from setting up the advanced metal detectors. These detectors are the latest, equipped with the ability to scan multiple people at once. This will ensure prompt screening even when there is a rush, a common occurrence during drop-off times.
The earlier petition also pointed out that the school was taking a long time to reopen. After three weeks of closure, Richneck Elementary is all set to resume regular classes. The board plans to organize a ‘back-to-school’ type of event where families can bring their kids to ease the transition after the shocking incident. The Student Support Services team also utilized the sudden closure to provide emotional support to staff and students.
Sign the petition below to applaud the steps taken by the school division to ensure safer learning conditions. The latest security measures can be extremely helpful to restore confidence among students and staff members in the long term.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Principal Lynch,
All eyes were upon Richneck Elementary after the unfortunate recent shooting incident. Parents, teachers, and students expressed their views regarding the matter at a recent meeting. Several issues were raised, the most important of which was to speed up the installation of metal detectors within the premises. In addition, demands were raised to place security personnel at the school, critical for providing additional layers of safety.
Thank you for listening to the demands of concerned citizens and taking strong preventive actions. We appreciate the fact that all elementary schools will now have state-of-the-art metal detectors with the ability to scan multiple people at once. You also deployed two full-time security staff at the school premises, which is a vital step in the right direction.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Kenneth Gardner
430 Signatures