HARFORD — Harford County residents voiced their growing concerns over safety during the recent Board of Education meeting.
It comes after 14-year-old Jai'den Winchester of Havre de Grace High School was killed at a party earlier this month. 15-year-old Warren Grant was shot and killed inside of Joppatowne High School, not long after the start of the school year.
Community members expressed frustration, stating that their calls for action have gone unheard, and they are now demanding concrete measures to ensure the safety of students and staff.
With emotions running high, teachers, parents, mentors, and other community stakeholders gathered in the Board of Education room, urging the district to take their concerns seriously.
A community member remarked, “It appears that HCPS is not listening to us, and these issues could possibly have been avoided.”
Fear pervades the community as they confront the stark reality of recent violence in schools.
“I’m not only afraid that this could happen again, but I’m also scared that we won’t be able to protect our students. They are fed up and scared,” another community member articulated.
The recurring plea from attendees centered around the theme of safety. Some proposed increased security measures, such as the installation of metal detectors and more thorough search procedures for students entering school premises.
Shawn Sharpeta, Department Chair of English at Joppatowne High School, shared a heart-wrenching account of finding Warner in the hallway after the shooting.
“The image of that student will forever be in my memory. We need to stop worrying about trivial matters and focus on what keeps our students safe,” he stated. Sharpeta emphasized that the day of the incident was a culmination of concerns that had often gone unacknowledged.
“Everything that happened that day reflects the concerns we voiced. The only change we saw was the addition of walkie-talkies,” Sharpeta noted, highlighting his frustrations with the lack of substantial reforms. He stressed that safety should also extend to teachers, citing a previous incident where a student who assaulted a teacher was allowed to return to school shortly after their suspension.
Pastor Alfred Reeves, founder of the mentoring program Boys to Men, echoed that safety begins at home.
He called for proactive engagement with students, urging the board to focus on academic achievement and accountability before implementing security measures like metal detectors. “We need to prepare students mentally before they face consequences at school,” he explained.
In response to community feedback, the superintendent of Joppatowne High School announced the rollout of a new Evolv touchless security system, intended to detect potential threats and enhance safety using AI-powered technology.
As the meeting concluded, community members left hopeful that the Board of Education would take their demands seriously and provide tangible solutions to enhance student and staff safety.
The next board meeting is scheduled to take place in Aberdeen at the high school cafeteria, where many are eager for further discussions on safety strategies.