Parents believe Barrow County school leaders aren’t providing enough safety updates

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Parents and community leaders concerned with what they call a lack of safety updates for Apalachee High School plan to take their concerns to the Barrow County School Board this week.

They told Channel 2 Action News that not enough is being said or done to improve school safety following the mass shooting at the high school back in September.

“My son is a junior here. I hear on a regular basis they do not really notice the presence of the SRO,” Sean Schultz said.

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Schultz is referring to the additional school resource officers added at Apalachee High in response to the mass shooting back on Sept. 4. That is when four people died and several others were injured.

“I spoke at the last board meeting. Since that point not much is being done,” said Schultz.

He plans to attend the Barrow County school board meeting again this week and said he plans to ask more questions.

Layla Contreras also plans to attend the meeting. She graduated from Apalachee High School in 2019. Her younger sister was in class at the time of the deadly shooting and her mother, who is a teacher, was also at school that day.

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Contreras has been pushing for safety and security upgrades for Barrow County Schools.

“We are asking for more safety measure like metal detectors. Mobile metal detectors. Something to help the students feel safe and the teachers,” said Contreras.

The Barrow County School District has information on its website posting its plan to get feedback from faculty and staff, and from students, families, and the community with a goal of presenting those recommendation to the school board in early 2025.

The school board meeting is Tuesday, November 5, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 179 W. Athens Street in Winder.

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