The push for armed security guards in schools has made its way to the North Country. The Canton School board recently approved the movement to hire an armed officer for Canton High School.
“The board has approved of a $50,000 salary to be raised to hire an officer for one year,” said Dan Thomas, a member of the Canton school board. Thomas also said that there is no long term plan in place for a permanent resource officer. However, Thomas stated that the community is in support of the movement toward armed security guards at the high school.
Associate Dean of Student Life Rance Davis, who is also a father to Canton Central school graduates, said that bringing in an armed officer would do more harm than good for the students. “It’s going to change the psyche of the kids at the school, somebody is on campus with a gun,” Davis said. Davis also pointed out that we at St. Lawrence do not have armed guards but we have more than double the population of Canton school.
Andy Downs, a junior at Canton High School, said that he and other students were unaware that the school board was even thinking about bringing in a security officer. “I personally don’t think our school needs security,” Andy claimed. Andy also said that if the school felt that it is necessary then he wouldn’t be bothered by an armed security guard in the school.
Scott Wight ‘18, a Canton high school graduate in 2014, said that there was never a real fear of danger as a student at the school. “I feel like no one was really that worried about feeling unsafe,” Wight said. Wight feels that bringing in the armed officer could be a good if there a certain limitations and regulations put in place to enhance the overall safety of the school.