South Carolina University Hosts Program with Gun Violence Prevention Panel

South Carolina University Hosts Program with Gun Violence Prevention Panel

The Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School program recently hosted Social Action Day, which included a panel discussion on how to end gun violence.

Clafin University holds a program called the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School program, which is a six-week summer literacy and cultural enrichment program for children from age eight to age 14.

On Social Action Day, which is one of the days the program holds, the students congregated in the auditorium for a panel discussion on how to end gun violence.

According to the Times and Democrat, panelists included Dr. Anthony Pittman, dean of Claflin’s School of Education; Sgt. Keith Parks of the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office; OCSO Investigator Lakesha Gillard; Dr. Ronald Speight, a visiting associate professor of education at Claflin; LaTonya Nelson, assistant principal at Sheridan Elementary School; and Dr. Elrica Glover, assistant principal at Mellichamp Elementary School.

Several Freedom Scholars spoke up about their feelings on gun violence and asked the panel questions.

“Almost every day someone dies due to gun violence,” Jayden Skinner said. “It needs to stop. Innocent people are dying because horrible people are able to buy, sell and use guns. That is all because of our laws because the government isn’t trying to make our country, states and cities safer.”

Glover said that the schools have taken a few different measures to ensure safety because the proactivity of the district is a necessity.

“Last year we received a school resource officer in every school,” Glover said. “It had been in the middle and high schools, but we were happy that we were able to have a school resource officer at the elementary level. Right now, as I’m talking, they’re actually installing cameras in our school.”

During the panel, they also discussed bullying, mental health issues, and the importance of reporting any suspicious activity. Parks said that mental health issues are particularly hard to deal with right now, as there isn’t enough funding in place to have the right people to reach out.

“There needs to come some funding and some training to learn how to help deal with our mental health issue, and our mental health issue in the state of South Carolina is bigger than this room. … It’s bigger than just the schools and your law enforcement. This is something that the legislature has to take up … and they have to put a bill in place and they have to put the money behind the bill,” Parks said.

Other topics discussed by the panel included consequences, and the impact of community.

“These students might have read a book dealing with gun violence in the community. And now they’re actually putting a forum together where we can all as a community talk about that and ways that we can make life better for our scholars, our parents and everyone else that’s a part of our community,” Chaplin III said.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Black Hills State University Takes an Open, Scalable Approach to Video Security

    Black Hills State University recognized the need for a centralized video system to improve campus security and streamline operations. The university sought a solution that could unify its main campus with a satellite location, enable cross-department access, and scale with future growth. By implementing open platform video technology, BHSU laid the foundation for a comprehensive, flexible, and scalable security infrastructure. Read Now

  • Pennsylvania School Uses Locked, Rolling Security Grille to Control Spectators, Secure Building

    St. Jude School in Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, is a private Catholic elementary school that serves students from Pre-K through grade 8. Recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, St. Jude offers diverse educational programs designed to foster a nurturing and challenging learning environment, and extracurricular activities like sports are an integral part of promoting teamwork, discipline, and physical fitness. Read Now

  • Fire-Rated Glazing Assemblies Modernize Academic and Social Hub

    In spring 2023, the University of Pittsburgh opened the doors to a seven-story west wing addition to Alan Magee Scaife Hall. The medical school building features several updated lecture halls, labs and classrooms. It also includes team-based learning and small group rooms as well as an entire floor dedicated to medical students. This floor is meant for students to congregate, study and build community. Read Now

  • Access Control Trends Continue to Strengthen School Safety Security

    Class period bells have been ringing across campuses for a few months now, but that doesn’t mean the subject of safety was fully settled before the start of the new school year. As one wise person once said, “It’s a journey, not a destination”. That’s why it remains a leading issue among administrators, faculty, students, and communities. Schools are striving to be at the top of their class when it comes to the ability to control access instantly and securely, monitor suspicious behavior accurately and consistently, and respond to threats immediately and effectively. Ultimately, they aim to provide a reassuring, comfortable, and conducive environment for a rich learning experience. These goals apply whether at a community college in Southern California, a major university in Pennsylvania, or a rural K-12 district in Michigan. Read Now