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NewsThursday, August 30, 2007 6:11 PM CDT
Pontiac security meeting rescheduled
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PONTIAC -- A security meeting at Pontiac Township High School has been rescheduled for early next week because of conflicting schedules, Superintendent Leo Johnson said.

The meeting had been planned for today to talk about information shared during three meetings Wednesday that followed a guns-for-drugs incident at the high school Tuesday.

Principal Jon Kilgore said he has been meeting with school officials in “mini” safety meetings regarding any immediate precautions. The rescheduled meeting, which will be closed to the public, is for school officials to study items that can be added and considered for a future handbook.

“Right now we are having informal ones (meetings) when everyone’s schedule is free and able to get together,” Kilgore said. “These are for immediate safety changes and these meetings are already taking place.”

Kilgore said the assemblies Wednesday were an excellent opportunity to hear concerns of parents and community members and those concerns will be studied.

Long-term safety changes could include the continued use of metal detectors, either hand-held or permanent, or a key card system to allow entry through exterior doors.

Kilgore wasn't sure how long the metal detectors would be used because they are on loan, but he said the school will probably purchase them.

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Reader comments on this story - 8 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

To curious wrote on Aug 31, 2007 9:42 AM:

" You need to slow down. I do not know what you know or who you are but believe it or not there are actually reasons that bodies can meet in closed session to discuss items which the public does not need to know. One of these includes issues dealing with safety and security. If you are a parent you should be ashamed that you fdeel this way and need to know everything. You should come to realize that security and safety issues that are best are hidden dehind the scenes and are active but not known by the public or students so that they can not be circumvented. Grow up and let the board and the administration work to make improvements. "

a student at the school wrote on Aug 30, 2007 3:37 PM:

" okay if u have never had this happen before u dont know what ur talkin about then...they were not tellin us anything at all..we couldnt go to the bathroom or do antyhing..we sat in our classrooms not being able to do anything...tryin being a band person in the jr. high not knowin what is goin on..and all u hearing is theres guns at school...u don't know if anyone is shot of anything so u can all just bac off and let us do what we want...yeah we dont need to go that far with everything but i rather have cops every where i turn then having none and next time someone gettin shot or something "

What a shame that.... wrote on Aug 30, 2007 3:27 PM:

" our public schools have to take any security measures! Why do we even have these problems in schools now? We didn't have them 30 years ago. Of course, the school was allowed to implement discipline back then. Wouldn't that be a GOOD idea now? Had the discipline not be removed from the schools, we might not be in this situation today. Sure - there was a knife or occasionally another weapon found back then, but NOTHING like we are finding in our schools today! BRING BACK DISCIPLINE AND ENFORCE IT!!!!!!!! "

To: country kids wrote on Aug 30, 2007 3:03 PM:

" Try to get a grip. Do you even listen to yourself? "

Country kids wrote on Aug 30, 2007 2:42 PM:

" All them country kids have guns, they are taught to kill their own food from an early age. the parents give them the guns, teach them to kill, and then complain when they carry the guns to school to sell, show off, or whatever. They should have been teaching them to respect other living things, like people. "

curious wrote on Aug 30, 2007 2:33 PM:

" Who is meeting? Does this violate the open meetings act? "

AGREE wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:48 AM:

" I agree w/ Paranoia. Sure review and improve but let's not get carried away. Those that are involved in this meeting will do the very best for our kids. After all not only our kids interest are at stake here but they too have children/grandchild in this school system. We elect these people and we need to have confidence in them until proven otherwise. And I'd say so far they have protected us well. "

Paranoia wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:26 AM:

" Wow, time to get scared. I know this was a very serious thing. But I don't think the school should start thinking that Pontiac High school is completely unsafe. "

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