Florida schools are preparing to reopen with some notable safety improvements. However, one specific measure is already raising some concerns. Here’s what it is.
The new law requires that all doors, hallways and gates in and around Florida schools be locked during school hours. The only exceptions are when students move between classrooms between breaks and certain doors approved under an exemption, referred Fox 13 News.
The test of the law
The regulation has been in force since July 1, but will be implemented starting next school year. The testing and adaptation phase will be key in each school to achieve the expected result.
School staff at each educational center, in general, say they agree with applying the new law. However, some staff say they will have problems implementing it.
For example, some members of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Committee commented on the logistics of the law.
Commissioner Grady Judd, also the Polk County sheriff, said it is impossible to enforce the law without exceptions. He said there can still be significant movement throughout the school, even during class periods.
Judd said he fears unintentional violations of the law and added that the officer who oversees compliance in his own county feels cornered by the situation. The commission said it may independently, or with the help of the Department of Education, issue training to further clarify the law.
Meanwhile, some campuses are considering giving students programmable hall passes, and those options can be expensive. Nearly all Florida schools will begin the 2024-2025 school year on the earliest possible date, Monday, Aug. 12.
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