Utah schools spending $72M in upgrades amid rise in school shootings

[JACK AYLMER]

THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE IN RECENT YEARS.

ACCORDING TO A CNN ANALYSIS – THERE WERE A RECORD 82 INCIDENTS LAST YEAR – UP FROM 79 AND 73 IN THE TWO PREVIOUS YEARS.

AND A RECENT PEW RESEARCH STUDY SAYS ABOUT 1 IN 4 US TEACHERS SAY THEIR SCHOOL WENT INTO A GUN-RELATED LOCKDOWN DURING THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR.

IN THAT SAME STUDY – A MAJORITY OF TEACHERS – 59 PERCENT – SAY THEY ARE SOMEWHAT WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A SHOOTING HAPPENING AT THEIR SCHOOL.

WITH THOSE CONCERNS IN MIND – SCHOOLS IN UTAH ARE RECEIVING 72 MILLION DOLLARS IN STATE FUNDING TO UPGRADE THEIR BUILDINGS AND SECURITY SYSTEMS.

UTAH LAWMAKERS APPROVED THE FUNDING LAST YEAR AND NOW IT’S BEING REVEALED HOW THE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE USING THE MONEY.

SCHOOLS REQUESTING BULLETPROOF WINDOW FILM, BLEEDING KITS, FENCING, SECURITY CAMERAS AND EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEMS. 

THE UTAH STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION’S SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS TEAM SAYS MORE THAN 150 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTERS WENT THROUGH A “COMPETITIVE APPLICATION PROCESS” – ALL SEEKING PART OF THE FUNDING. 

ACCORDING TO THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE – TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS RECEIVED 70 PERCENT OF THE 72 MILLION  – AND CHARTER SCHOOLS GOT THE REMAINING 30 PERCENT. 

ONE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT – DAVIS SCHOOL DISTRICT – RECEIVED GRANTS FOR 69 OF ITS 92 SCHOOLS – IN THE FORM OF 4 POINT 6 MILLION DOLLARS.

A DISTRICT SPOKESPERSON SAID THEY REQUESTED BULLETPROOF WINDOW FILM AND INTERCOM SYSTEM UPGRADES – BECAUSE THOSE CAN BE IMPLEMENTED QUICKLY.

AND ACCORDING TO THAT PEW SURVEY – ABOUT 4 IN 10 TEACHERS SAY THEIR SCHOOL HAS DONE A FAIR OR POOR JOB PROVIDING THEM WITH THE TRAINING AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH A POTENTIAL ACTIVE SHOOTER.  

WITH THE FUNDING — THESE UTAH SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE HOPING THEIR SCHOOL UPGRADES WILL GIVE THEM ADDED PROTECTION IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. 

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