Education is important and it is key to the future success for millions of American children. A school is supposed to be classified as a safe place for kids to learn and grow, but recently students have revealed that nearly half of them do not feel safe inside school parameters, especially with the recent headlines disclosing information on violence taking place inside the said “safe” environment.

At OHS, there have been a multitude of recently enforced precautions taken to prevent violent events from occurring on school property. Regulations in place include bans on backpacks, keeping the Indian doors locked during the school day, advanced security cameras, bathroom passes, background checks on visitors, an increase in school police officers and frequent practicing of newly established lockdown drills.

All of the newly enforced rules are proving themselves effective in keeping students safe, but many students have a problem with the inconveniences that follow. Although the regulations have taken away some previously convenient privileges, it is beneficial to the safety of the building. Students need to understand that they have the potential to risk their safety, and the safety of others, by breaking the rules. The goal is to learn from other schools’ systems where there have been breaches in the systems, leading to devastating death tolls. Schools like Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Fla. where 17 students and staff were killed. Or Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas in which ten people were killed. Both of these have taken place in the last year.

Although the new safety precautions have been put in place, students still do not seem to feel safe within the schools walls. It is important to look into what the can administration can continue do to improve the safety of the building. Students have suggested having bag checks and more random police dog searches, as they have said how they would not mind having their stuff looked through if it means that their safety won’t be compromised. The school has the right to check your things both on you, and in your car. This seems like a fair deal as it grants students the ability to carry around backpacks, but unless students are being found guilty or there is a probable strong suspicion. It can absolutely seem like an invasion of privacy. If bags were to be checked everyday, it could become a big inconvenience to get into the building. Not only would it take students an increased amount of time to get into the building, but setting aside the money for hiring people to carry out the searches could become an issue.

Overall, the safety precautions already put in place improve the safety of the building, regardless if they take away convenient privileges such as backpacks and entering through the Indian doors. Changes can still be made, but at this time administration is doing their best to keep their students safe, and to have their students feeling safe.