Trigger Warning: this article frequently mentions school shootings. If you feel uncomfortable with this topic refrain from reading.
Since the tragedy at Columbine High School in 1999, school shootings have become incessant. More than 15 shootings per year have occurred from 1999 to 2023. The most heartbreaking part about all this is that these shootings happen at schools, a place where parents send their kids to get an education.
K-12 School Shooting Database.
(Riedman, David)
With all the recent incidents revolving around schools, safety has become a main concern for students and parents alike. Just at the start of the school year at August 27, Robin Westman set an attack upon Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. A haunting event that would leave 21 students scarred for life and two students stripped away from their chances of living. Recently, another incident happened right in the state of Colorado at Evergreen High School, where an extremist student took a gun and injured two of his classmates.
Although we may feel as if these shootings are a faraway nightmare from our campus, it is never too late to be prepared for whatever may come our way. Here at Valor Christian, safety plays an important role in running the scenes. From the moment we enter the door to the moment we leave the campus, the security team gives us peace of mind. As many of you may have noticed, there have been two new additions to Valor’s security team. Two canine dogs that have been added as extra security.
To get a better understanding of how exactly security works at Valor Christian High School, I sat down with Tige Watson, the Chief of Parent & Student Affairs and Director of Safety & Security. Mr. Watson expressed the need to keep Valor a safe place for students which has been continuously done by having these three layers. The outer layer which is the fence along the perimeter, the inner layer which is the cameras, and the innermost layer which is the student ID cards.
Mr Watson stated that the reason for the addition of the canine dogs on the campus is due to the situation at Evergreen High School and the situation that happened this September with Charlie Kirk.
Watch the video above to find out more
