SURVEY RESULTS SAY "NO" TO ARMED SCHOOL 'GUARDIANS'

A district-wide survey found that the majority of the Lake County Schools employees, students, parents and community members who responded do not support school personnel having access to a secured weapon on campus during school hours.

The survey link was posted on the district’s internal and external web sites and was shared on its social media pages and published in local media. It asked participants to identify themselves as an employee, student, parent or community member. Then, it asked a single question about the “School Guardian” program: “Do you support school personnel, to include school administrators, ROTC instructors, current or former service members, and/or former law enforcement officers, who volunteer to participate in a “school guardian” program, to have access to a secured weapon on campus during school hours?”

A total of 2,673 people answered the question, and in every category the majority responded, “No.”     59.6% of parents responded "no", while 80.2 of students responded negatively. 54.9 percent of school employees also said replied “no.”

An earlier survey taken before Spring Break asked similar questions of school-based personnel. In that survey, when asked whether they support instructional personnel (only ROTC instructors, former military personal and former law enforcement officers) participating in a voluntary guardian program with access to a concealed firearm on campus, 52.75% personnel responders answered yes and 47.25% answered no.

The most recent survey opened April 5 and closed on April 20. A different survey is circulating among high school students to determine their opinions on school safety matters. School Board members have said they will consider all stakeholder input before making any decision about the School Guardian program.

The School Guardian program is a result of a new school safety law that was passed in the aftermath of the February mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland that killed 17 people, including 14 students and three staff members.  17 people were injured.

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