Atlanta Public Schools stepping up security for graduation season

ATLANTA — Here in Metro Atlanta, school districts are stepping up security for graduation season.

“We’ve been very intentional around heightened security,” said Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring with Atlanta Public Schools.

Herring said it’s all about being intentional when it comes to the safety of her students and staff.

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The Atlanta Public Schools District is increasing security to keep everyone safe at the upcoming graduation ceremonies. “I don’t go into great detail because we’re always cautious about the intel that we release, but in the space of this conversation, we’re thoughtful about the security of buildings, movement within buildings, and monitoring as always,” said Herring.

Herring said the extra security measures will be noticeable. “Also increased awareness and presence of force. Our Atlanta Public Schools Police Department, in partnership with Atlanta police, have helped to ensure a more heightened awareness and accessibility as needed.”

She said the increase of safety protocols is due to the recent mass school shooting in Texas, when an 18-year old shot and killed multiple students and teachers inside an elementary school, “It’s been a heightened awareness in result of that, certainly because it’s necessary. There are no words that I can articulate that can adequately express the pain that, of course, is experienced by all of us, but none of that can compare to the pain that the victims’ families are experiencing.”

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Herring said change is needed to protect students. “This is by all means, this is disheartening and devastating.

“This is a call to attention, for all of us. A call for action, to not just speak about or express our condolences, but to be intentionally active around what we must do to protect our most vulnerable population in our world, and that’s our children — additional support across the public schools framework. It’s something that has to be top of mind and priority and funded, number one; and number two, access to weapons and the concerns around our country’s position, that’s a dialogue that can’t cease.”

In the meantime, Herring said she’s doing what she can to protect her students and staff, “As a superintendent, I’m focused on what is necessary to resource our schools, our school buildings and our school buses, so family has a sense of security.”

Herring’s team is ramping up security for graduations. She said students and staff have also been practicing the “See Something, Say Something” approach. The school district is also providing counseling resources for families to discuss the shooting in Texas.

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