Security procedures need to be upgraded

It was very disturbing to recently hear that an obviously disturbed adult male was able to board a Jackson school bus claiming to be a new student. Thankfully, a student at the school noticed this trespassing individual in the hallway of the school and reported this person to school administration.

It is more than clear that school security is lacking both in terms of safeguards for bus transportation as well as entrance into our school buildings.

I strongly urge the Jackson Board of Education to revisit and adopt a security policy that calls for the following:

+ One, all students, regardless of age, must present a school bus boarding pass for the entire school year in order to board any school bus. It would seem to make sense that this boarding pass would be the size of a credit card, laminated, and show the school bus number and the initials of the child.

If such a security measure is a matter of cost, the community should organize to conduct a fundraiser to support this simple safety plan.

Perhaps the police department, fire departments, township public works and local parent-teacher organizations could organize a charity softball tournament to fund this small, but important endeavor. I am willing to take the point on this effort.

+ Two, school security should be at the entrance of each school and students should be obliged to show again, some form of student identification to enter the building. This ID would be similar to the school bus boarding pass suggested above.

Perhaps a single form of student ID could be developed to accomplish both of these security purposes.

Again, if it is a matter of money, I am sure the people of this town, whether or not they have children in school, would rally each year to fund this simple, yet key security measure.

Such an incident cannot happen again. We were lucky this time. We never want to be unlucky when it comes to the safety of our children. I believe the suggestions above should be immediately considered and adopted in some form before this coming school year.

Scott D. Sargent

Jackson