BROOKHAVEN, Long Island (PIX11) -- There are 10 schools in this district, including a high school, 2 middle schools, and 5 elementary schools with about 9,400 students.
Officials say the goal is to make school entry as safe as possible.
Every school will have an extra layer of security. All students and staff will be walking through a metal detector before entering an educational building.
“For the safety of everyone I personally don’t have any issue I don’t only think about our kids but also about our staff,” said Jeannie Heckman, a mother of fourth and seventh graders.
The decision on this new safety measure comes after a 14-year-old student brought a loaded gun into the high school less than two weeks ago.
“I was upset, really upset. How did he get that gun at that age?” stated Luis Medina. His daughter is a 15-year-old senior at the high school.
“It is sad we have to prepare our kids, they come to learn but we have to prepare for a war zone because these types of things could happen.”
During a security presentation Tuesday evening Suffolk Police and the Department of Homeland Security briefed parents on the district’s protocol in the case of an active shooter situation.
“It’s not to cause you fear, if anything is to put you a little more at ease,” emphasized one of the officers.
The 14-year-old who was found with the gun was originally being searched with a medal-detecting wand because of possible vaping.
“Rumors that some kid was upset, being bullied and he brought it to protect himself. To hear something like we hear throughout the country when it comes home, it really hits you hard,” stated Medina.
He is not being identified because of his age, but he was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds
“It’s concerning. I think parents want answers and I’m not really sure how much they can tell us.” Said Amber Quattrocchi. Mom of students
In addition to wanting answers, parents just really want their children to be learning and in a safe environment.
“Every parent is going to have their fear, but we stand by the decisions they are making,” concluded Heckman.
A spokesperson from the district told PIX11 New they do not have a timeline for implementation of the metal detectors at this point, but it is a priority to get it done within this school year.
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