In a 2006 episode of the TV drama The West Wing, the incoming President-elect Matthew Santos and his wife were touring schools for their elementary school children.
After touring multiple private schools, Santos explained he wanted his kids to attend a public school in Washington, D.C of all places.
His wife looked shocked. D.C. schools are regarded as some of the worst in the country academically, and are consistently riddled with acts of violence.
When Santos toured a local public elementary school he was stunned to see there were no metal detectors.
The principal told him, “That’s okay, we know what our reputation is.”
Metal detectors have generally been relegated to the nations worst schools. They are usually in urban areas, where the schools look more like juvenile detention centers than actual houses of learning.
So, when the Hart County Board of Education voted unanimously to purchase metal detectors for all five of its schools Monday night, some might contend its the wrong move.
Not us. We firmly stand behind the school board’s decision to make this purchase.
Starting with Columbine High School back in 1999, school shootings have been more of a rule than an exception.
They’ve become so common, that we know the schools and people by name. Places like Sandy Hook and Parkland are burned into our memory.
So many young souls had their lives cut short by these senseless acts of violence.
Then, on Sept. 4, four were killed and nine injured following a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder-Barrow.
Our guess is that horrible event was a little too close for comfort for our brave school administrators.
“I’ll be honest with you, there is no one on my team that wants to go this measure,” Superintendent Jennifer Carter said. “But, unfortunately in the world that we are in this is one way to have another layer of safety and security for our staff and students.”
It is the world we live in now, and we must do everything we can to keep our kids safe. Parents shouldn’t have to worry when they drop them off each morning.
The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels, and the Hart County Charter System is doing everything they can to ensure there aren’t anymore.
We applaud this move hope everyone stays safe throughout the remainder of this school year.