JONESBORO, Ga. — The Clayton County School District has passed an emergency resolution to ensure student protection after the sheriff decided to pull deputies off campus.
Monday's night's board of education meeting began with a long-term security solution that is expected to be voted on next week.
Late into the night, board members voted on a stopgap that will take effect immediately to help ensure the safety of Clayton County's students. The board will hire 38 security officers to work in Clayton County schools over the next 10 weeks, until the end of the school year.
The interim superintendent said she used her emergency authority in drafting the resolution because school resource officers are being slowly pulled out of the schools by Sheriff Victor Hill as he reallocates resources.
The 38 security guards will fill in the gaps and make sure there is coverage, particularly for the county's middle and high schools.
Interim superintendent Luvenia Jackson said in the meantime, school staffers are doing the best they can.
"We also have a very limited number of administrators, so, as superintendent, I also have to consider that," Jackson said.
Board members also discussed whether to create a department of school safety and security, essentially, the system's own police department, but startup costs would total $2.6 million, $500,000 more than the system currently spends on security.
"I actually would like to see us have a police department, but that's a lot of money," board member Mark Christmas said.
WSBTV
