Well over 100 people filled the seats and the aisles of the boardroom at the Oconee County School District’s new Instructional Support Center on Monday night to make sure the board got the message that they wanted action following the Sept. 4 mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County.
Twenty of those present spoke, with most calling explicitly for the placement of school resource officers in each of Oconee County’s 12 schools. A good number also called for an increased focus on mental health programs and efforts to deal with specific issues such as bullying.
The first speaker, Sally Jarratt, told the board she wanted the board not only to agree to put school resource officers in the schools but also “commit to a time line, and that you keep the public informed of the progress.”
Midway through the speaker list, Adam Geiger told the board, “We need it now,” referring to school security officers. “We don’t need it next year.” That produced loud applause.
In the end, the board voted to “authorize the superintendent to work with Sheriff James Hale to develop a memorandum of agreement that would provide a comprehensive law enforcement presence at all 12 of our schools.”
For more, visit Oconee County Observations.
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