Florida School Administrators, Parents Weigh In on New Fencing Law

Florida School Administrators, Parents Weigh In on New Fencing Law

Under Florida law, school districts must make sure their schools have fencing as perimeter security. There are both proponents and opponents to the law, as the fencing could offer both advantages and disadvantages.

  • By Kaitlyn DeHaven
  • July 10, 2019

Under a new Florida law, school districts must put up fencing around their schools as perimeter security.

While the state will offset some of the costs, many schools across Northwest Florida will have to spend millions of dollars to meet all of the new safety requirements, including fencing. The schools will be implementing these changes over the summer and the next upcoming year.

According to nwfdailynews.com, the Okaloosa County School District will be taking money from other needs the school has, and putting the funds toward increased security and safety requirements.

“Some measures will be visible while others will not,” Steve Horton, an assistant superintendent, said. “We are working to make all schools safer for students and employees. Fencing is just one visible component of that process.”

Two of Walton County School District’s schools will acquire fencing this summer, but their safety direct said that they want to ensure the school does not look like a correctional facility.

Some parents are in opposition of the addition of fencing around schools, especially if the fences are chain link. Amanda Thompson is a parent of an Okaloosa Country student and she said that since students are primarily responsible for school shootings, they will already be on the inside of the fence. In addition, she stated that bullets could fly through a chain link fence, and the fence would trap the children inside.

“I just don’t feel like we’re Chicago,” Thompson said. “It bothers me that we don’t have funds for kids’ school books or teachers’ raises. That’s what we should be focusing on.”

About the Author

Kaitlyn DeHaven is the Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

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