MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Cumberland Valley School District parents voiced their frustration Tuesday night after a 15-year-old brought a loaded semi-automatic handgun to Eagle View Middle School on February 6.
A petition, organized by Rukmini Yarlagadda and other parents, urges district administrators to implement safety changes.
"The safety of the students, making them feel like each and every corner of the school has been detected, scanned, and that you are protected, that's a confidence we want to give the kids," said Yarlagadda, the parent of a sixth grader.
Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, more than 1,500 people signed in agreement.
In a message to parents, district officials pointed to current safety measures including locked doors and I.D. badges for staff.
They also point out they are in the process of acquiring a police dog specially trained in weapons detection, a decision made before this month’s incident.
Some parents, like Mary Wright, say metal detectors and bag scanners, aren’t the solution.
"I think there’s other ways we can improve safety," Wright said. "Definitely like alarms on doors and being proactive with keeping things locked."
Several parents at Tuesday's school board meeting were in opposition to the proposal.
Wright worries that this will push the school district in the wrong direction.
"If we go metal detectors, then we go clear backpacks," she said. "I just don't know if it would stop."
One of the big issues heard during public comment was the district’s communication when this happened. The district email sent to parents addressing the gun was sent eight days after the incident.
Cumberland Valley administrators say policy and practices around student searches and the use of backpacks and lockers are under review.