By: Keith Fentress (President, Fentress Inc.) and
Mike Jones (President, Major Security Consulting and Design, LLC)
Unfortunately, violence in schools has been way too prevalent in recent years. Making schools more secure must be the top priority. It is our belief that the current design community is starting to understand the problem, and we hope our efforts will contribute to developing useful solutions to school security. We also hope that policymakers will embrace security changes to our schoolhouses to protect our most precious investment in the future – our children.
Security For School Buildings
- CONTROLLED ENTRY- Schools should have a single point of entry for all students and visitors. Main doors should be locked during school hours, and visitors should be admitted by security personnel. It is important for staff and students to not let visitors 'piggy back' into the building without being vetted by security or office personnel first.
- SECURITY SCREENING- Everyone entering the school should proceed through a magnetometer and X-ray screening machine. Although controversial, this is one of the best methods for deterring weapons.
- LOBBY ORGANIZATION- The lobby should be sized for peak times to avoid overcrowding. Also, it should be organized so that people can quickly understand the progression from the entrance through the security screening. The lobby should have ample windows at the entrance so that security personnel can see who is entering the school.
- WINDOWS, WALLS, AND DOORS- Windows around the entrance and in the classroom door should have ballistic glazing. Classroom doors and walls between the hallways and classrooms should be hardened with bulletproof material. Doors should have central locking controlled by security personnel.
- CAMERAS AND ALARMS- Schools should have closed-circuit television (CCTV) set up to observe the exterior, lobby, and hallways. Cameras should be aligned to track the movement of individuals throughout the school. Duress alarms should be placed in administrative offices, community areas, and classrooms.
