The tragic event that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX is yet another reminder that our school safety protocols are woefully inadequate.

In the time since Columbine, Parkland, Sandy Hook and other such devastating school shootings, it is remarkable that so little has been done to protect the students of West Virginia’s schools at every level.

After listening to our state and local leaders discuss what could be done, it is clear the solutions being offered are simply not enough.

We are calling on our state leaders (Governor Justice and our state legislators) to call a special session of the Legislature and demand that every single West Virginia school be hardened with common-sense measures no matter what it costs. If we can proactively save the life of one single West Virginia student, the cost will be justified.

Commonsense Security Measures

• A police officer at the front door of every school. West Virginia has approximately 700 schools and approximately 182 school resource officers. While school resource officers provide a valuable service, what we truly need is a single police officer in every single school whose sole responsibility is school security.

• A metal detector at every school entrance. According to the School Building Authority, many schools in West Virginia have a secure buzzer/check-in area. This is insufficient. A dedicated security officer and a metal detector at each entrance will help ensure that no person with a firearm or dangerous weapon will gain access to our schools.

• Cameras in every classroom and every hallway. According to research some schools in West Virginia have cameras in some hallways and some classrooms. Again, this is not acceptable. Every entrance, exit, hallway and classroom should have a camera installed, and a dedicated police officer to monitor all activity.

• A single state-wide entity to develop and monitor school safety protocols. Currently there appears to be at least three different agencies in our state that deal with school safety. Furthermore, each county has a different plan for school safety protocols. We need one uniform and rock-solid standard for each of West Virginia’s 55 counties and every single one of our schools.

But what about the cost?

The cost of implementing these measures is largely irrelevant. Our current state budget has a healthy surplus of $1.3 billion. We also have unspent COVID resources from the federal government that could possibly be used to support this effort.

In the end, the cost does not matter. What matters most is the safety of our school-age children and we should be doing everything we can to protect them no matter the price tag.

Where are you going to find 700 police officers to protect our schools?

West Virginia has a huge retired military population who have spent countless years training to protect our nation and state. They are highly qualified to protect our school-age children.

There should be a robust recruitment effort to attract such men and women. Pay them well, offer them good benefits, and I believe they will answer the call for this critical and honorable job for our state.