Promoting a safe and secure school environment is one of the primary goals of the Troup County School System.  The Board of Education recently approved funding for new surveillance systems in every school and in every bus.  In addition, administrators have now initiated a new program to further ensure safety.  Beginning this week, random wand searches for weapons are being conducted on various campuses.

The first phase of searches was conducted today at Callaway Middle School and Long Cane Middle School.  At each school, students and staff in randomly selected classes were escorted by Parsons and a team of trained system personnel to a nearby classroom for searches after Parsons explained the new program to students. 

Following each search, students were given the opportunity to provide feedback.  Responses were overwhelmingly positive.   In response to the question, “What suggestions do you have to improve the screening process?” a student from Long Cane Middle School said, “Nothing.  This process is a wonderful idea.”  A student at Callaway Middle School, when asked, “What additional steps would you recommend to keep our schools safe?” said, “Ask parents to check their kids before they come to school.”

School safety resource officers were present during the search process. Officer Rodney Williams, Callaway High School safety resource officer, was on hand at Callaway Middle School. “Besides being an effective deterrent to students bringing weapons to school, our hope is that this additional safety strategy will make students, parents and faculty members feel comfortable in knowing that the Troup County Sheriff's Office, LaGrange Police Department and Troup County School System are doing whatever it takes to provide a safer and better education,” said Williams.

Future searches, following the protocol introduced today, will be conducted at schools on a random basis.  “Unfortunately, we live in an increasingly violent society and access to weapons provides challenges for anyone interested in maintaining safety anywhere,” said Parsons.  “This is one more step in a comprehensive plan to provide safe and secure learning environments for all students and staff,”

Letters explaining the new program went home with all middle school students in the system.  Parents are encouraged to speak to their children about the importance of school safety and the consequences of bringing weapons to school.  Students are also asked to come forward whenever they have information about situations that put their safety and the safety of others at risk.