SALISBURY, Md.- In the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shooting that killed 26 people, including 20 children, one Wicomico County parent is out to ensure his children, along with all of the other kids in local schools, are safer.
Jonathon Gerity of Salisbury has started a petition asking the Wicomico County Board of Education to consider new safety measures. Gerity's ideas include adding metal detectors, improved entrance systems into the schools and more.
"I was thinking about either having someone certified and trained, have a weapon on their side, concealed. So it prevents people from coming in and if someone does happen to come in, they can respond to it," Gerity said.
School district officials say schools are reviewing their safety practices after what happened in Connecticut but it is too early to make changes or new decisions. They also told WBOC that they welcome safety ideas from the public but do remind people that funding for these ideas is always an issue. Gerity said he plans to hold fundraisers in the county.
"As parents, as the community, we need to come together as a whole and try to protect our kids, try to make them safe," Gerity said.
However, not everyone is on board with these ideas. Several parents that WBOC spoke with said the idea of having an armed guard in their child's school made them a bit uneasy. Those who do support the potential provisions say you can never be too careful.
"They sent their kids to school one day and they're not coming back and I don't want that to ever happen to my child," said Dustin Burton of Salisbury.
"Whatever it takes for people not to just walk in the school and make the school safer for the area here," said Diana McBride of Salisbury.
Gerity plans to go door-to-door with his wife to homes, businesses and schools in Wicomico County to gather support for his plan.
