ABC11 Eyewitness News' Akilah Davis sat down for an exclusive discussion with Wake County Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor, Durham Public Schools (DPS) Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis and Cumberland County Schools (CCSS) Superintendent Dr. Eric Bracy to talk school safety, teen violence, and how to attract more qualified teachers to the profession.
The three also discussed their journey from the classroom to the superintendent's office.
Akilah Davis: We received an email from a Wake County parent that I want to read to each of you. The subject says,' as a parent, I'm deeply worried about school safety in Wake County. She says as a parent, I'm reaching out because many of us feel our children's safety is being neglected. Wake County Schools continues to focus on reactive measures that only address what happens after a school shooting begins.
Dr. Robert Taylor, (WCPSS): "We want to reassure everybody that the best thing we can do on school safety is human behavior. We can have all the weapons detection systems. We can have all the law enforcement. All those things, but it makes a huge difference when someone puts a brick in the door so someone can go in and out. When we don't properly check a student's bags. When we don't determine whether a child leaves home with a weapon, we haven't checked. We want to continue to say to our parents that we're not being reactionary."
Davis: Dr. Bracy, I know that Cumberland County Schools has had the weapons detection system in place for a year. I also know you are fairly new to your role, but how effective has it been? Have you found any weapons?
Dr. Eric Bracy, (CCS): "The key is not letting things get into the building. Not allowing weapons into the building. I'm not saying weapons detection is the end of everything. Behaviors are important, but it's good to have that extra layer of security. I've witnessed it in a prior district and I'm witnessing it now in Cumberland County. I just think it makes parents feel safe"
Davis: What have you found? Just curious.
Dr. Bracy: "I don't know the specifics of it, but I was told that some things have been discovered."
Davis: How far do you think we are from normalizing a weapons detection system in Wake County Public Schools and Durham County Public Schools?
Dr. Taylor: "I'll respond to that. I know the big question is, why won't Wake County have weapons detection systems in schools? That's something we continue to explore every year. I'll also ask people to look at statistics and numbers. This past year, we had less than 10 weapons in our schools. To be the largest school district in the state and have less than 10 weapons, that's a tribute to the work schools are doing and reporting students are doing. We do have weapons detection systems in the district. I don't want people to believe that we don't. When we have sporting events, you have to pass through those. We're looking to expand that and looking at what is the best way to deploy that in a very large district."
Dr. Lewis, (DPS): "We roll them out for our extra-curricular activities as well. It's becoming normalized throughout this community. What we know is our DPS community has had conversations about weapons detections. Technology has improved. Some of the older devices, you have to empty their pockets. And so, with new technology, it takes the bias out of it where students are just free to go through the system. You can't go to any city of county buildings or concerts without going through. It's becoming normalized."
The superintendents said that while there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into school safety, it's a safety hazard to share actual measures they are taking.
Part two of this conversation will center around teen violence and where society is failing teenagers.