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Students, parents and staff want changes at Apalachee HS
Students, parents and staff are demanding changes before they return to Apalachee High School after a mass shooting. They believe more should be done to protect students.
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - As Apalachee High School students and staff are set to return to school for an open house Monday and classes Tuesday, some school alumni, parents and staff are calling for more preventative security measures before the return.
"It felt unreal. And honestly, it still feels surreal right now," said Sasha Contreras, a junior at Apalachee High School.
She was there on Sept. 4 when investigators say a fellow student, 14-year-old Colt Gray, opened fire and killed two students, two teachers and wounded nine others.
Sasha says her mother works at the school and was there as well.
"I was scared for my mom because she's in the building. And at the time, I didn't know where she was, I didn't know where the incident was happening. And at the time I didn't have my phone," she said.
Now two weeks and six days after that horrific mass shooting, Contreras and her classmates will be returning to classes Tuesday.
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But she says she doesn’t feel like the school district has made any real safety changes.
"I am a little anxious and uneasy to go back with almost nothing in place," Contreras said.
The Barrow County School District says on its website they will have increased numbers of School Resource Officers and Georgia State Troopers on campus.
But it does not specify any other new or additional safety and security policies.
"I do appreciate that they're having more SRO officers and I'm grateful that they were there that day. However, I also think that's just a precaution, like if it happened again, but it's not really working towards any preventative measures," Contreras said.
That’s why her sister, Layla Contreras and others are pushing for more preventative security measures, such as installing metal detectors and only allowing transparent or mesh bags on campus.
"We're asking for the bare minimum of having clear bags," Layla said.
She graduated from high school in 2019 and is the lead organizer for Change for Chee, a group of Apalachee High School alumni calling for stricter security measures at the school.
"I just feel that it's important that we really protect our community and make sure that their voices are being represented," Contreras said.
The group has started a petition to have the district implement these safety measures and hear their other suggestions for increased safety.
But so far Contreras says their petition and requests have fallen on deaf ears at the district.
In a statement published on their website, Barrow County Supt. Dr. Dallas LeDuff did state, "we are also discussing additional security layers with the Sheriff’s department, the Board of Education, and state agencies and will keep you updated."
But he did not specify what those additional security layers were.
Contreras says these policies should’ve been put in place before the scheduled return to campus.
"Why is the Board of Education not trying to communicate a comprehensive safety plan for the kids that they're trying to serve?" Contreras said.
Contreras says it’s disturbing to her that the district is not even offering virtual learning as an option to students who don’t feel safe returning to campus.
On their website, the district only says that students who don’t feel safe returning should contact their school counselor.
The school will have an open house here for parents and students from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday.