See This School District’s Peculiar Idea To Curb Guns In Schools
One school is looking to curb gun violence in a new way, with an initiative to purchase firearms detection dogs.
The Laurens County School District 55 in South Carolina is taking a new approach to school safety. Instead of increasing police officer presence or arming teachers, this district is bringing in the dogs. They have proposed to utilize firearms detection dogs to sniff out guns and keep classrooms safe.
These firearms detection dogs will be active in the school at all hours in locations throughout the district. They are trained police officers and can not only sniff out guns but explosives and black powder as well. The hope is that having K-9 units on campus will prevent students from bringing guns to school and deter future incidents.
In the past few months alone 2 students have been caught bringing weapons on school grounds. Bringing in firearms detection dogs is just one of the main solutions that the school is hoping to implement. In addition they are planning to focus a portion of the district’s budget toward gun safety classes, metal detectors and wands. The cost of these security measures are high, but the long-term pay out is expected to be well worth the funding. In order to make these changes a reality, the district has started a Go Fund Me campaign.
Each firearms detection dog comes at a whopping $10 thousand, but this all includes not just the canine. This is for 20-on training sessions — to be held on-site — as well as lodging for the dog’s handler, gear, and more unspecified training materials. For now they are asking to raise $20 thousand for a pair of dogs. Anything raised above that will go into funding the additional security measures.
Public schools utilizing Go Fund Me to fund new security programs isn’t common, but with the state of the public education system changes may be needed. School violence has been increasing at a rapid rate. Districts across the nation are scrambling to find new ways to help students cope with their issues and avoid violence. Many teens are suffering long-term mental side-effects from the isolation brought on by virtual learning throughout lockdowns. In addition, schools are being pressed to implement divisive lessons that teach students to judge each other based on what they look like and what gender they identify as. Add these in with all the other normal pressures of adolescence and parents are having to keep a close watch over their children, teachers, and school boards. Bringing in firearm detection dogs is still a new concept, but one that is growing.
In 2019 a Michigan school took this route as did a Washington state hospital. The concept is spreading as companies and organizations which specialize in training and bringing firearm detection dogs to schools and other buildings have found success. Action K-9 Security states that “Action is the first step to prevention!” 3DK9 is on a similar mission to, “Defend, Detect, & Deter.” They suggest also utilizing drug detecting dogs to help keep narcotics out of schools. This solution is gaining popularity but will it be enough for the Laurens County School District 55 to meet its Go Fund Me goal? That all depends on community response. For now, school officials are hopeful.
