Lacey Youth Council says local schools are not prepared to keep children safe

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Lacey Youth Council Mayor Justin Begley urged North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) to revisit its safety protocols and hear students’ concerns following lockout incidents at Timberline High School.

Begley mentioned the March 14 incident when Timberline was told to go into a lockout due to an anonymous report that a student on campus had a firearm or a weapon.

According to Begley, during the first few minutes of the lockout, Timberline staff had the main doors open to the building to allow students to funnel into the school without knowing where the possible threat may have been.

“These actions jeopardized the safety and security of over 1,200 students,” said Begley. “Sadly, this is not the first time actions like these occurred during a lockout or lockdown.”

The youth leader said he had already talked to the principal, and they agreed that there is a need for more drills and preparedness of both staff and students, but he added that they did not meet eye to eye on the topic of building security.

“When I say we are not prepared, I mean North Thurston Public Schools is not prepared to keep your children, my classmates and myself safe,” said Begley.

Begley also appealed to the parents of the students of NTPS, "I hope you hug and kiss your children before they leave for school every day, because… if we continue to have these blatant procedural violations by staff and if we have unsafe measures in place then I'm not just concerned for Timberline students, I'm concerned for all students.”

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  • Southsoundguy

    This kid has a future in fear inducing rhetoric.

    Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Report this

  • DesertMedic

    Is this a surprise. I would bet that he is not all wrong. Most if not all schools are not ready for any sort of emergency. The administration acts like they are until you peel back their plans and see they are a mess. Tumwater Schools are the same.

    Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Report this

  • Gingerella

    The doors were deliberately left unlocked so students that were outside could get into the building. While there was also a threat of someone on campus with a weapon that could be trying to get into the building. Does that make any sense to you? I understand that the students that were outside were also in need of protection, but there has to be a better way than of keeping the students already indoors at unnecessary risk.

    Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Report this