Portage schools take a proactive approach to school safety

Though the rumors that it was an ajar door that enabled a gunman to enter Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and kill 19 students and two teachers in May of 2022 turned out to be false, the incident still inspired Southeast Local Schools to invest in increased precautionary measures.

“I’ve done this a long time, been in the school business for 36 years, and it’s just really sad. As much time and energy we spend on school safety, I just wish we didn’t have to do that,” said Southeast Superintendent Robert Dunn. “I wish school violence, gun violence, weapons, those types of things — I wish we didn’t have these tragedies because kids should come to school and feel safe and not have to worry about something like that happening.”