Report: SVSD Only Area District Without Armed Officer in Schools (Poll)

Out of 17 districts in the Lehigh Valley, Saucon Valley School District is the only one without at least one armed person–such as a school resource officer–in schools daily.

That is according to a Morning Call story published Monday, which addresses the various responses by local school district to violence in schools around the country, and in particular in the wake of the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida–an incident that resulted in the death of 17 students and staff members.

The Walnut Street entrance to the Saucon Valley School District campus in Lower Saucon Township (FILE PHOTO)

A walkout by students was organized at Saucon Valley High School in the wake of the shooting, as part of a national effort to raise awareness about violence in schools.

The Morning Call interviewed Saucon Valley School District superintendent Dr. Craig Butler for its July 30 piece about security measures in the district’s schools, with Butler citing his experience as superintendent of the Hazleton Area School District and telling the newspaper that based on his experience armed security guards/officers aren’t necessarily the answer when it comes to preventing school violence.

Butler said, however, that an armed officer can also be beneficial, and that he hopes to develop stronger partnerships with both the Lower Saucon and Hellertown borough police departments in order to enhance security on the Saucon Valley School District campus.

In February, when a parent asked school board president Michael Karabin whether Saucon Valley was considering hiring a school resource officer he told her they weren’t at that time, but that he presumed the subject would be discussed “in far more detail” in the future. To date, that hasn’t happened at a public school board meeting.

A poll conducted in early March asked readers whether the district should hire a resource officer, and yielded the following results:

• 74 percent of poll respondents said a resource officer should be hired.
• 12 percent of respondents said a resource officer should be hired, but only if there is no financial impact on taxpayers.
• 12 percent of respondents said a school resource officer shouldn’t be hired, because the need for one hasn’t been demonstrated.
• Three percent of respondents said they weren’t sure whether or not a school resource officer should be hired.

A total of 155 people voted in that poll.

Click here to read the full article by Michelle Merlin and Sarah M. Wojcik. Then tell us whether or not you think Saucon Valley schools should have an armed officer present on-campus at all times by voting in the poll below.

The next Saucon Valley School Board meeting will be held Tuesday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. in the high school Audion room.

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