GREENFIELD — More than 150 people turned up at the Greenfield-Central School Board meeting Monday to hear three local moms ask the district’s leaders to put metal detectors in its eight school buildings.
The school board allowed Lauren Andrews, Ashlee Burke and Rachel Crosby, each of Greenfield, to speak for a total of five minutes — the typical time allotted to members of the public wishing to address the board — and talk about their hopes for improving school safety.
The women began rallying support for extra security in local schools after a shooting at Noblesville West Middle School left one student and one teacher injured.
The incident was the latest in a slew of tragic school shootings that has caused them concern, they say — and this time the danger was too close to home.
Burke and Andrews told the Daily Reporter earlier this month that they would like to see a metal detector put at the front door of each school building and any door students enter through at the start of the day. Given the layout and traffic flow of each school, they believe 50 devices will get the additional security they desire.
They estimate the purchase would cost about $150,000, which shakes out to about $33 per pupil, they say.
They presented each board member a packet of information detailing the cost estimates they’d received from a local school-supply company.
The board took no action on the proposal; but members assured the crowd that student safety and improving building security are two topics always on their minds.
Greenfield Police Chief Jeff Rasche and Hancock County Sheriff’s Maj. Brad Burkhart also addressed the crowd, praising the women for their hard work and discussing some positives, negatives and alternative to metal detectors.
Read more about the meeting and discussions that took place afterward in an upcoming edition of the Greenfield Daily Reporter.