Parents React to Heightened Security on Abilene School Campuses
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: December 21, 2012
Just another day of school in Abilene ISD, but far less students in attendance.
"I didn't want to risk my child getting hurt."
Over the past week there have been unsubstantiated threats made about school violence.
On Tuesday, Abilene police Chief Stan Standridge reassured parents of their children's safety and guaranteed a patrol officer on the campus of every Abilene school.
However, that did not stop Ashley Benavides from keeping her son at home Friday.
"After that thing in Connecticut making up jokes about shooting up the schools is not funny," she says.
Others may have held the same opinion, judging from the amount of unfilled parking spaces at local high schools.
"Everyday when I come to get my daughter and bring my daughter to school, there's a lot of kids coming to school and today there's none," says one parent.
Nevertheless, other campuses were bustling with parents dropping their children off for another ordinary day of school.
Chelsea Ordway says, "He said a lot of kids aren't coming to school today, but they're going. I don't want them to live their life paranoid."
Despite the heightened security on the campuses of Abilene ISD, the district would not allow our cameras inside those doors because they wanted to present as normal of a day, as possible for their students.
"I mean I feel like our school is pretty safe," says Ordway.
William Hopkins says, "It's been alarming since the whole thing happened and you obviously wonder about your own kids but i have faith in the police department here."
The safety debate may stick around for a while, but statistically speaking, the school house is still one of the safest places for your child to be.
"I didn't want to risk my child getting hurt."
Over the past week there have been unsubstantiated threats made about school violence.
On Tuesday, Abilene police Chief Stan Standridge reassured parents of their children's safety and guaranteed a patrol officer on the campus of every Abilene school.
However, that did not stop Ashley Benavides from keeping her son at home Friday.
"After that thing in Connecticut making up jokes about shooting up the schools is not funny," she says.
Others may have held the same opinion, judging from the amount of unfilled parking spaces at local high schools.
"Everyday when I come to get my daughter and bring my daughter to school, there's a lot of kids coming to school and today there's none," says one parent.
Nevertheless, other campuses were bustling with parents dropping their children off for another ordinary day of school.
Chelsea Ordway says, "He said a lot of kids aren't coming to school today, but they're going. I don't want them to live their life paranoid."
Despite the heightened security on the campuses of Abilene ISD, the district would not allow our cameras inside those doors because they wanted to present as normal of a day, as possible for their students.
"I mean I feel like our school is pretty safe," says Ordway.
William Hopkins says, "It's been alarming since the whole thing happened and you obviously wonder about your own kids but i have faith in the police department here."
The safety debate may stick around for a while, but statistically speaking, the school house is still one of the safest places for your child to be.
