By Bret Rachlin on 10/24/2008 4:27 PM

Video surveillance is one component of a comprehensive school security program. It is only one component, but it is a necessary one. Since installing video surveillance in a Medford, Massachusetts, elementary school and a middle school in 2001 (Source: Boston Globe, 10/19/2008, ‘Big Brother’ concerns over school cameras), John Buckley, the district’s director of management and operations, said “vandalism dropped dramatically.” In fact, video captured images of several vandals and ultimately police filed criminal charges against them.

As a component of a security program, a video surveillance implementation does not mean that the school is conducting Big Brother monitoring. While the article quotes a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts saying that video turns the school more int ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 10/17/2008 10:59 AM

Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) labs do research on deadly germs and toxins, so there is an expectation that these facilities protect themselves, as well as their nearby communities, with a high level of security (Source: Associated Press, 10/16/2008, High-security research labs not so high security). Unfortunately, a BSL-4 lab at Georgia State University in Atlanta does not meet adequate security standards according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.

The report explained that the “lab lacked complete security barriers and any integrated security system, including any live monitoring by security cameras. Investigators said they watched an unidentified pedestrian enter the building through an unguarded loading dock.”

While the Georgia State lab has stated that it is taking steps to “enhance the lab’s sa ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 10/10/2008 11:04 AM

When you think of safe learning environments you should think of Jasper Independent School District (Source: The Jasper Newsboy, 10/8/2008, JISD sets new safety policies) in Jasper, Texas. Located approximately 135 miles northeast of Houston in east Texas, Jasper ISD has its school safety act together.

According to Interim Superintendent Dr. Jimmy Creel, “I take the position that the most important thing we can do is create a quality environment for each child. And the first thing you do is to provide a safe and secure environment.” Additionally, he said, “Schools have limited resources. That means you have to be creative to find resources or efficiently utilize existing resources in order to provide a more secure school environment.”

His last statement about being creative is exemplified by the Jasper Junior High assistant princi ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 10/8/2008 8:37 AM

In our continuing effort to keep you informed about school security, here is a success story about a school in Water Valley, Texas.

Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 10/1/2008 10:47 AM

With schools facing numerous challenges, including how to improve education and provide safe learning environments, funding these efforts is a consistent barrier. Released this week, The Wren School Security Survey: Access Control, provides interesting insight about how schools leverage technology to control access to their schools, as well as deal with the budget constraints that force schools to choose their security options carefully, doing as much as available funding allows.

How are you handling access control in your school districts?

By Bret Rachlin on 9/26/2008 3:45 PM

“Safety is more important. You can’t learn if you’re not safe. That’s any child at any age,” says Dionne Fields, a parent in Knox County, Tennessee (Source: WVLT, 9/22/2008, Knox Co. Commission approves $195K school security boost). Fields’ comments reflect the feelings of many Knoxville parents after the August shooting at Central High School. Apparently, the Knox County Commission agrees with Fields, as it has voted to approve funding for nearly $195,000 for school safety enhancements.

The Knox County School Board has done a commendable job of obtaining additional funding for school safety. After the tragic shooting in August, school officials worked quickly to secure funding for the hiring of additional security officers and adding video monitoring systems among several other safety initiatives.

However, what are other school districts ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 9/19/2008 11:17 AM

School security is definitely an art, not a science. Take Sandy High in the Oregon Trail School District, for example (Source: The Sandy Post, 9/10/2008, Sandy High’s many entrances, exits pose security risk). The school needed extra space to accommodate more students, so it added three modular classrooms. Of course, the portable buildings added six additional entrance/exit points which brings the total number of access points to 54. Clearly, the school security program required adjustments to maintain safety.

In addition to a system of video surveillance cameras and security officers, the school district plans to hire someone to direct security for the entire district, which includes nine schools.

According to Sally Tripp, vice principal at the high school, “I believe that having a coordinated effort and that consistency betw ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 9/12/2008 10:48 AM

Last April I commented on a story about how the University of Washington was experimenting with using radio frequency identification to track students and staff in its computer science building. Now a provider of asset visibility solutions, AeroScout, has announced the adoption of its visibility solution by two educational institutions (Source: RFID News, 9/8/2008, Schools using RFID for security enhancement).

While Lincoln University in Pennsylvania utilizes AeroScout T3 Wi-Fi-based Active RFID tags to track audio-visual and maintenance equipment, the Strong Rock Christian School in Georgia is using RFID to enhance campus security and student safety. All visitors to the school are issued clip-on AeroScout ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 9/5/2008 10:57 AM

The vandalism that occurred at the Chugwater School in Platte County, Wyoming, last month was the third incident this year (Source: Platte County Record-Times, 8/28/2008, School vandalism under investigation). While the dollar amount of damage is still not known, this time the destruction was extensive. In addition to 70 windows broken out, a copier, refrigerator, two microwaves, and three computers were destroyed among many other items. The cost of seven broken windows earlier in the year cost $1,500, so it’s clear that this act of vandalism will be much more expensive.

While the article does not say whether or not the school had network video surveillance or access control, it does mention that the police are investigating several leads. Of course, it is likely that a video surveillance solution implemented in an appropriate ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 8/28/2008 2:41 PM

With schools across the country either already back in session or about to start, here’s a school safety checklist to help determine if schools are meeting or exceeding good safety guidelines (Source: Education Development Center, 8/2008, School Safety Checklist). Most importantly, the article highlights that “school safety is everyone’s business.”

Overall, when reviewing this list it’s interesting to think about how technology supports many of the safety practices. For example, item number four asks if your school is “addressing ways to prevent as well as respond to crises.” To answer this question, does the school have an emergency notification system to communicate to students, parents, and staff in the event of an emergency? Does the school have network video surveillance, so local law enforcement can monitor an incident as it occurs to ... Read More »