Miami-Dade Schools Order Classroom Doors To Be Locked

MIAMI, FL — In the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting in neighboring Broward County, the nation's fourth largest school system has immediately ordered all classroom doors be kept locked at all times during the school day and a series of other changes aimed at easing concerns by students and their families.

In announcing the changes on Tuesday, Miami-Dade Public Schools said it was requesting an additional $30 million in funding from the state of Florida to improve school safety. Those proposed changes include additional school resource officers, video surveillance at all schools and materials to harden buildings against attacks like the one two weeks ago that claimed 17 lives on Valentine's Day.

"We are requesting 100 additional officers for Miami-Dade," Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said on WPBT2 South Florida PBS in recent days. "We are blessed with our school system to have a police department. We're very unique in that in the state of Florida. They are armed, certified law enforcement entities. One hundred additional officers would insure at least one school resource officer in every single school in Miami-Dade."

Carvalho said that the district already has resource officers in every middle school and senior high school but not all elementary schools.

"Some of the most fragile environments, some of the most vulnerable environments — elementary schools — do not have that level of protection," he said.

District officials said that a Miami-Dade Crisis Team has been providing support in neighboring Broward County schools since a troubled former student opened fire on Building 12 of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The team is made up of psychologists, social workers, and family counselors.

"Teachers have been directed to lock their classrooms during the school day," Miami-Dade officials said in announcing the new security protocols on Tuesday. "Entrance after class period begins will require a key or knock for entrance."

Over the next several weeks, all secondary schools in Miami-Dade will implement mandatory school-issued ID use but specific details as to how those checks would work were not immediately available.

"All schools are being evaluated to reduce points of entry on campus, and protocols related to drills and school lockdowns are under review," district officials said. "All available law enforcement and mental health resources are being redeployed to school sites."

Moreover, the district issued "new and absolute directives related to school security personnel performance," including that all security personnel "without exception" must wear identifiable uniforms to increase visibility on campus.

"Parent communication is being enhanced through the use of text messaging to provide information when a threat is received and notification once a threat has been cleared," officials added.

The city of Miami, which is part of the Miami-Dade system unanimously approved a measure introduced by Commissioner Manolo Reyes in recent days to place city of Miami Police officers at all Miami-Dade County Public Schools anywhere within city limits.

City Manager Emilio Gonzalez has been directed to prepare a report outlining the economic impact as well as an implementation plan at the commission's March 8 meeting.

"As a father, grandfather, and a public school teacher, I personally understand that school safety is and should be our outmost first priority as a public servant," said Reyes.

"Immediately following this terrible incident, M-DCPS leaders began a comprehensive assessment of existing school security and safety protocols with the aim of identifying opportunities for improvement," according to Miami-Dade County school officials. "The process was driven by one question: “How can we best protect our children?” The result of the evaluation is a series of recommended enhancements to the district’s safety protocols, developed in collaboration with local and state agencies, to ensure that every Miami-Dade school is safe."

School Board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman, Carvalho, Miami Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, County Commission Chairman Esteban L. Bovo, and State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle authored a joint letter to lawmakers that is aimed at finding long-term solutions to increase student safety.

Specific security measures contained in the request for $30 million in additional state funding include the following:

• 100 additional school resource officers.
• 75 additional mental health/social work professionals to focus on prevention/early detection of youth needs and four mental health counselor advocates dedicated to providing counseling services and addressing the unique and long-lasting impact and trauma of violent crime on children.
• Video surveillance and internet protocol monitoring systems for school sites.
• Evaluation of classroom glass window panes against ballistics, along with the materials needed to implement recommendations.
• Mechanisms to automatically lock all doors.
• Digital floor plan and mapping system for countywide response.
• Enhanced mass communication systems at schools that provide expanded access to school public address systems.
• Early detection software, social media data-mining software, and enhanced technology to improve inter-agency information sharing.
• Cyber analyst and Assistant State Attorney positions to provide technical guidance in the collection and analysis of social media and other electronic evidence.

Finally, district officials reminded parents and students that Miami-Dade school police investigates each threat against schools.

To report any suspicious activity related to Miami-Dade schools, call 305-995-COPS (2677) or 305-471-TIPS (8477).

Watch below as Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho discusses school safety on WPBT2 South Florida PBS' "Your South Florida."

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho photo courtesy Miami-Dade Public Schools