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WHITNEY, Texas (KXXV) – Whitney Independent School District (ISD) is ramping up security measures for the new school year, with the addition of more security officers to keep students and staff safe, as well as new technology designed for this purpose.
New Safety Measures on Campus: More Security Officers to Keep Students Safe
As part of the district’s enhanced security efforts, three additional security officers will be stationed across all campuses. Additionally, each classroom will be equipped with black boxes secured with a passcode. While the district has not disclosed the contents of the boxes, officials say they are designed to help teachers secure their classrooms in case of an emergency.
Read: The Current Landscape of School Security
Superintendent’s Personal Commitment to Security
Whitney ISD’s new superintendent, Todd Southard, brings a personal commitment to campus security, drawing from his own experience with an active shooter situation. He recalled an incident where he and a school resource officer (SRO) were forced to chase a student armed with a gun off the school grounds. “We got really, really lucky,” Southard said, vowing never to let a similar situation happen again.
Community Support for Increased Security
For families like Alice Monreal’s, the enhanced security measures are a welcome change. Monreal, a grandmother of four children in the district, expressed her relief at the new protocols. “I trust that they’re going to do whatever it is to keep my grandchildren safe,” she said.
The district has invested over $200,000 in the new safety and security measures, which Monreal believes is money well spent: “There is no price that can be put on the life of one child.”
