News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Putnam County Director of Schools Corby King said he is appreciative of additional funding from the state to address security needs.
Thursday the House passed a bill that would require things like locking the doors while students are present and conducting safety drills. King said he does not necessarily agree with the use of armed guards for the Putnam County School System.
“I think when you hear school systems talking about guards, those are the smaller systems who don’t have SROs in every building,” King said. “My preference is to continue with the SROs. Let’s have SROs at every building and if we need more security, more armed security, let’s do that through the Sheriff and his department and through certified, trained police officers.”
The governor’s proposed budget includes some $140 million grant funding proposal to place armed school resource officers in every public school. It also includes $30 million to expand a Homeland Security network to monitor school threats.
King said the Putnam County Schools System is fortunate to already have SROs in every building.
