Guards reporting to schools won't carry guns

EAST COUNTY — The Manatee County School District reversed course Tuesday afternoon and decided security officers won’t be armed, for now.

After Manatee County School Board members and parents mulled over options the last few months on how best to protect area elementary schools, education officials ruled Sept. 9 to hire armed community security personnel to man 33 elementary schools countywide.

Guards will still arrive at area schools Wednesday, but without the guns.

In a news release issued Tuesday, the district says it will wait from an opinion from the attorney general’s office to clarify the legality of having private, armed guards on school campuses.

“After consulting with outside legal counsel and our staff attorney, it is our opinion that there is no prohibition by statute that prevents armed security guards being placed within public schools,” said Superintendent Rick Mills, in a prepared statement. “However, the statute upon which the district relies is in a gray area. Therefore, to err on the side of caution, the district will deploy the officers unarmed and seek an opinion.”

For B.D. Gullett Elementary Principal Kathy McLean, though, the officers’ primary concern will be escorting students before and after school, directing traffic and meeting with the school’s safety committee to establish best practices for school safety.

Although the East County school has painted lines and arrows that direct traffic for drivers, the high volume of cars in the parking lot throughout the week concerns McLean.

“Our officer can help us stop the car lines from slowing down, while having a proactive, visible presence on our campus,” McLean said. “He or she will direct traffic and help parents, faculty members and students to utilize safe crossing zones.”

Gullett’s officer will be on campus from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.

McLean, who has implemented locking classroom doors for more than a year, welcomes the added security.

She plans to inform parents of the officer’s presence after he or she reports to the campus this week. And she doesn’t expect negative feedback from parents, even if the officers become armed.

“I don’t think having this officer is going to be a hard sell,” McLean said.

To Melissa Wandal, a mother of a Braden River Elementary student, the increased security helps assure her that her child will be safe for the more than six hours he or she is at school each day.

But, she has mixed feelings on the employees eventually having firearms strapped to their hips, and the reason behind the added security.

“It’s a shame we’ve gotten to this point that we have to have armed guards here,” Wandal said. “I should be able to drop my kids off at school without having to see a security guard guarding my child’s school.”

Gullett PTO Vice President Danielle Downes plans to discuss the new security officers with parents within the next few weeks, but feels an extra level of security with leaving her two children at the Lakewood Ranch school.

As each school meets its community officer this week, School Board Chairwoman Julie Aranibar hopes the individuals will make a lasting impression, with or without guns. She sees the personnel as faculty members whom the students will learn to recognize and communicate with if they have a problem.

“We want the officers to become involved in the students’ lives,” Aranibar said. “These officers will bring safety to our schools. We’ve met with parents and listened to their concerns. Many people want that extra security.”

The district allotted about $1.7 million per year for a three-year contract with Sarasota Security Patrol Inc.

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].