As educators and administrators struggle to find new ways to keep students safe on school grounds, many approaches are being considered. Some schools have passed bills to arm teachers, while others are turning to alternative surveillance tools to head off a tragedy in advance.
Social Media Monitoring
Many school districts have turned to social media monitoring software as a way of identifying and preemptively stopping potential threats. These programs have been implemented by hundreds of school districts and universities in the hopes of not becoming the next campus to experience tragedy.
While some providers have boasted success, more often than not, the programs wrongly interpret social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram because they’re unable to discern the context of a post. For example, programs that flag the word “bomb” may mistakenly pinpoint innocent posts where the word is used to express excellence (i.e., that meal was the bomb).
“If You See Something, Say Something”
Ever since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, people have been reminded to be diligent about their surroundings and the activities of others. This approach is also advised in K-12 School Security: A Guide for Preventing and Protecting Against Gun Violence,” issued in 2018 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
According to the guide, “Effective preventative and protective actions decrease the probability that schools (or other facilities) will encounter incidents of gun violence or should an incident occur, it reduces the impact of that incident.” The DHS guide reminds administrators, teachers, and students to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement if the school doesn’t have a network in place to address these concerns directly.
Installing Physical Barriers Makes Everyone Safer
While these steps may or may not be the solution parents, students, and educators are seeking, it goes without saying that putting physical safeguards in place on school campuses will reduce or severely limit activities that would harm people. Reinforcing windows and glass doors by installing 3M TM Safety & Security Window Film offers physical protection against armed attackers and even bomb blasts.
Sunray® Window Films has installed these innovative products throughout Northeast Ohio, including Willoughby-Eastlake city schools . The safety films deter intruders looking to make an easy entry as well as those who attempt to break through locked glass doors. To see these films in action, click here .
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If your school is interested in improving the physical barriers that protect students, faculty, and administrators, contact Sunray® Window Films today. Our knowledgeable team of industry experts will explain how these protective films work and will help you decide which product will best suit your needs.
Contact Sunray® today via email at 800.295.8468 .
