Safety precautions: are we doing enough? It’s already too much A necessary solution

by Nikhil Kulangaroth staff reporter

As many students know, Mounds View has seen many new changes this year. While these rules were set in place in order to ensure students’ success, the question arises if this is truly the most constructive way to foster a healthy learning environment. While tightening the reins seems like a worthwhile solution to possible intruders and other acts of violence, the solution to truly protecting students does not lie in excessive rules and regulation, but rather examining the root of the problem.

Controversially, Mounds View administration decided to restrict students to only enter and exit from the front entrance to prevent intruders from accessing the building. While not exactly the strictest of rules, the logic of it is questionable. In any scenario, an unauthorized person could simply enter the building before school, covered by the incoming morning rush. Additionally, it is most likely they would be completely undetectable, as many school shootings are done by younger people. In fact, six of the nine deadliest mass shootings in the United States since 2018 were by people who were 21 or younger based on data from The Violence Project. Suddenly, the new rule stands more as an inconvenience to students than a necessary protection.

School settings with stricter rules for students is certainly not the most effective way to better students. In fact, students at high schools with prominent security measures have lower math scores, are less likely to attend college and are suspended more compared to students in schools with less surveillance, according to a 2022 Johns Hopkins University study.

However, there are alternatives to preventing tragedies like mass shootings. Instead of upping the security and increasing police supervision, Mounds View should change the direction more towards mental health and the wellness of the students. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, over half of school shootings occur from current or former students. In order to prevent school shootings, the answer then lies in tracing it back to what is taught in school. While Mounds View is already implementing this, like the Mental Health Awareness days, a heavier focus is needed.

While new rules and regulations may seem like a necessary solution to ensure student safety, it is clear that they often do more harm than good. Focusing on mental health and education is the more effective solution to safety concerns.

by Gao Zhong Thao staff reporter

Since the uptick in school violence, many schools have found new ways to increase security, such as more cameras, hall monitors, closed campuses. This year at Mounds View High School, several new rules have been implemented in favor of student safety, even if they aren’t in favor with the student body. However, precautions such as these actually guarantee a safe and healthy learning environment. First and foremost, the safety of students and faculty should be a top priority for any school. With the rise in school shootings and other violent incidents, it is critical that schools take measures to protect their students and staff, even if every change made is met with cries of upset from students.

Effectively, there are many measures Mounds View has taken that, despite what some say, have been in the interest of student safety. Recently, Mounds View announced that students will only be allowed to enter and exit through the main entrance, Door 1 and all other exterior doors are not for student use during the day. While this may just seem like unneeded detour for students to take, a decision such as this is crucial to preventing an intrusion. Last year in the Uvalde school shooting, which led to the death of 19 children and two teachers, the gunman gained entrance to the building through an opened door. By limiting the entrances a shooter could have access to, Mounds View has actually taken an important step to providing a safer campus.

As well, it is important to consider that these safety measures were put in place to make sure students could do what they come to school to do: learn. Things like assigned ReFLECT rooms, digital hall passes and restricted spaces for students with free periods or online classes all contribute to reducing foot traffic in halls, which thereby makes it easier for staff to identify intruders and handle school fights. Additionally, labeling Mounds View as “strict” is hyperbole, especially considering the lengths schools in more dangerous districts must go through. Increasingly, some schools are resorting to metal detectors and regular bag searches to ensure their student’s safety. In fact, The Dallas Independent School District, a district with about 153,861 students, started to require students to carry clear or mesh backpacks to school in the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting. While some of Mounds View’s new updates might seem authoritarian, in comparison they are simply basic steps to creating a safe environment.

While some students may feel inconvenienced or even frustrated with the new safety measures implemented at Mounds View, it is important to remember that these measures are in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone on campus.