Parents reiterate school security concerns Active shooter prevention alliance calls for action in Roanoke County schools

Parents and guardians of Roanoke County students on Thursday called for the district to tighten security, six days after a 17-year-old was charged with killing eight students and two teachers in Texas.

Members of the Roanoke County Public Schools - Active Shooter Prevention Alliance were seated at the county school board meeting clutching signs and demanding a heightened sense of urgency by officials. One sign read, "bullets and bombs vs. locked doors? We must do better."

The alliance was formed in February following a school shooting in Florida that left 17 dead. It's since gained more than 600 Facebook group members .

In March, several members addressed a Roanoke County Board of Supervisors meeting, listing ideas to improve security within the schools.

Four alliance members addressed school board members Thursday during the public comment portion of the meeting, focusing on improving entrance security and adding more law enforcement officers on school grounds.

But they also called for more mental health professionals for students to access, and the creation of an anonymous tip line for students, parents and faculty to report threats.

Diane Bell, a mother of four, called for county leaders to be proactive and learn from the most recent mass school shooting in Texas. "Let us not forget, with adequate school security and policies, this murderer would not be able to make it into that classroom with two firearms under his trench coat," she said.

"I remain very concerned our schools are still soft targets for potential shooters and mass killings," said mom Julie Francis, who called for more perimeter security and full-time staff to monitor entrances. "While visiting Northside during normal hours and after school events, I have observed very little or no armed school security officers to stop or slow down a shooter."

Parent Renee Richardson read from the alliance's proposed action plan. It includes adding metal detectors, more surveillance cameras, armed guards and bulletproof glass.

Corey Meador, another member of the alliance, called on county schools superintendent Greg Killough to apply for a grant designated for school security funding.

School board members responded to the parents with assurances that many of the proposals made are already under consideration. The board announced the creation of a new safety advisory committee this spring that has 30 members, including board members, teachers and parents.

"We have no prejudice against any idea that's been presented here tonight," said Vice Chairman Don Butzer, who hosted a town hall-style event last Thursday at Glenvar High School to allow parents to voice concerns to the safety committee. "We're looking at shatterproof glass, metal detectors ... and what it would look like trying to get 1,000 kids through a metal detector. We're doing all that with a sense of urgency."

Butzer said the school board is considering adding more resource officers to its elementary schools.

School board member Tim Greenway said he's in favor of adding more law enforcement officers to the schools. "It's time," he said. "Let's get it done. That may not be the answer, but it's a start."

Board Chairman Jason Moretz said members have spoken with local law enforcement about increasing officer presence in recent weeks.

The district took some other steps recently to address the community's safety concerns, including applying for the grant requested by the alliance.

This week the district also rolled out a new "family safety pledge" form on its website.

The form can be completed voluntarily through the website, and is meant to encourage parents and guardians to promise to keep guns stored safely, Butzer said. Students won't be required to return the form to the school.

A parent, Lisa Hirshorn, had spoken up at the town hall event last Thursday and called for the district to send a family safety pledge home with students.

Board member Mike Wray said the district added a line for students to the pledge to encourage them not to access weapons without the supervision of an adult.