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Security expected to top school discussion

By Max Hrenda

When the Carter County Board of Education holds its workshop next Monday, there will be no shortage of issues to tackle.

For school board Chairman Kelly Crain, the primary issue on his mind is the state of the school system’s security. Crain explained that the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. last month made school security a top priority for him.

“We’ve been lucky in our area here,” Crain said. “We’ve never had anything like that happen. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be prepared.”

Crain went on to say that he had received numerous calls from concerned parents asking about security measures at Carter County Schools. The best solution, in his opinion, is to place armed guards at every school in the district.

“That’s about the only thing you can do to make (schools) safe,” Crain said. “I believe trained personnel in every single building is a good place to start.”