11°c A few clouds
18°c Sunny
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
No rush to lock doors, Manitoba school divisions say
Manitoba's public schools aren't rushing to lock their front doors or beef up security, even though Ontario will be locking the front doors at its elementary schools.
Premier Dalton McGuinty said Thursday he wants all Ontario elementary school doors locked by next September.
Related Items
-
Articles
-
Columns
"We don't have any perfect solution for this," Keith Thomas, risk manager for the Manitoba School Boards Association, said this week.
As they did after Columbine, after Taber, after other school tragedies, Manitoba educators are reviewing school safety, but opting not to turn them into fortresses.
"We will be reviewing all policies and requirements with our educational and other partners to see what more, if anything, needs to be done," deputy education minister Gerald Farthing said in a statement Friday.
Most schools now lock all but their front doors, a measure implemented about a decade ago.
The provincial Safe Schools Charter requires every school to have an emergency plan in place.
But Manitoba schools have previously rejected guards, armed or otherwise, metal detectors, and other measures adopted in some American schools. There are some cameras, but they're far from ubiquitous.
A few schools lock their front doors once classes start, and Thomas said there are a few that have cameras and intercoms. "Some have systems where you have to be beeped in," he said.
In discussing possible changes in the past week, Thomas said, "We keep going back to, in Connecticut, that the school was locked, and the guy shot his way in."
Manitoba Teachers' Society president Paul Olson said a locked door will not stop what happened in Newtown, Conn.
"I tend to think this is government trying to look as though it's doing something. That school had a very modern security system, and it didn't help," Olson said.
"Practically speaking, it's probably not achievable. The reality is that school doors are swinging open all day long," for students, staff, and tradesmen who have a legitimate need to go in and out.
Front doors left unlocked are visible from the office, Thomas said. Where schools have sophisticated security systems, the tendency is to be less vigilant once everyone gets used to them, he said.
"Some schools have trained their teachers, and even their students, if they see someone without a visitor pass, to ask if I can help you, or point them to the office," he said.
There has been debate over requiring teachers to step out into the corridor to lock classroom doors from the outside and then pull them shut from the inside. While that may make the teacher vulnerable, said Thomas, the teacher can also spot student stragglers and bring them inside.
City divisions said Friday they don't plan any sudden changes.
"All of our schools have the front door open during the school day. Some will secure other doors to control access. We are not, at present, considering changes," said Seven Oaks superintendent Brian O'Leary, who was echoed by Louis Riel superintendent Duane Brothers and by River East Transcona School Division.
A Pembina Trails spokeswoman said the division would take its cues from the province, while Winnipeg School Division is looking at Ontario's experience.
nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 22, 2012 A7
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Links plan loses on scorecard
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Firefighters put out blaze in Manitoba Avenue home
- Two in custody after death on Pauingassi First Nation
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- Police identify slaying victims
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- 'Responsible Winnipeg' ads appear on sign run by mayor-owned Goldeyes' baseball park
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Man missing since 2009 found safe
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Manitoba appointees violate feds' rules
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- Francophone paper turns 100, digitizes all editions
- The end of the credit card?
- Goose gets cooked in Linden Woods
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Fishing for fashion
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Newly minted MD a beacon for kids in youth program
- North End proud
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
- Ochre Beach residents are 'thankful everybody got out'
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.