BREAKING: From San Antonio ISD: “There was a report of a shooting, but we can confirm that there is no evidence that one has occurred. Jefferson High School is on lockdown with a heavy police presence as a precaution, and we are actively investigating.”
In the aftermath of the Uvalde shooting, San Antonio schools are looking into ways to make their campuses safer. This includes making it easy to lock classroom doors and quickly implement security protocols. Congress is also currently discussing firearm laws while considering measures to improve school safety.
In the 1930s, Jefferson High School required teachers to lock classroom doors from the outside with a key.
Teachers in San Antonio Independent School District want the school to purchase magnetic strips that cover part of the door frame. This would allow them to leave the doors locked all day without locking. Then in case of emergency, they can quickly remove these strips and lock everyone inside.
SAISD’s many challenges are represented by Jefferson High School, which has multiple buildings and many doors in each building.
It would be too costly to install ID card swipe capabilities on every entry door.
The teachers’ union advocates for magnetic locking strips that can be removed quickly; they want these instead of replacing hardware on classroom doors. This is because they want to be able to lock a room quickly if there’s an active shooting.
The San Antonio Alliance states that the biggest difference is made by locking each room’s door for students and staff. This can be done with a simple change by schools.
The SAISD school board recently decided to consider ways to limit access to their middle and high school campuses in the same way they limit access to their elementary schools.
SAISD School Board member Ed Garza said that while elementary schools were better suited to face external threats, they weren’t perfect.
In order to enter most schools, you need to pass through a vestibule with two doors. Both doors must be opened separately in order for you to enter. This is an added safety feature many schools have adopted.
