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Central Florida Schools Beefing Up Security

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With schools almost out for summer, some school districts aren’t waiting to ramp up security. Brevard Schools said even before the Texas school shooting last week it’s adding security fencing, cameras and remote-controlled entry locks.

Seminole public schools will not allow backpacks district-wide on the last three days of schools. Seminole County also added a second school resource officer to every high school for the rest of the school year and will continue that next school year.

Polk County Public Schools has banned backpacks starting Monday through the end of the year. Orange County Public School students can’t have backpacks on the last week of school. It has been that way for years.

Tuesday night the Volusia school board will hear a presentation on meeting the state’s new security mandate for next year. That mandate is to have an armed guard at every school.

Volusia Schools Chief Operating Officer Greg Akin said the proposal is a hybrid to supplement the district’s school resource officers which are active law enforcement. The plan is to train so-called school guardians.

“Where we would have our retired officers, law enforcement officers or ex-military or anyone that actually meets the criteria to be able to be a school guardian,” said Akin.

Those guardians are school employees that would be trained by the sheriff’s office.

OCPS already have a school resource officer at every school. They’re looking to add more next school year.