LAURENS COUNTY, Ga. — After a series of deadly shootings around the nation, the Laurens County school district took steps to keep students safe. Last spring, the school board voted to arm trained district employees. Sabrina Burse visited the school district to hear how the plan is working.
Firearms instructor Sidney Harrison with the Laurens County Sheriff's Office says shooting a paper target is just one part of the training for armed employees in Laurens County schools.
"Standing in front of the targets is just for qualification purposes, but then we'll go ahead and develop real life scenarios," said Harrison.
That could include helping students take cover behind a school bus if a suspect is outside the building or what to do in a hostage situation.
"Everything our deputies do and our SWAT team does, they are getting the same scenarios," said Harrison.
District employees' training starts an with intensive week-long course with additional sessions offered twice a month.
Amanda Edwards, who has three sons in the Laurens County school district, says she's relieved to know employees go through that training.
"I feel like the world has just come to just complete craziness and you just never know what could happen, so I'd rather our teachers be able to carry weapons," said Edwards.
Superintendent Daniel Brigman says trained staff go through a psychological evaluation. He says so far, no employees have had to use their guns.
"It's about preservation of life and giving our employees the capacity to effectively respond to any threat," said Brigman.
Brigman says in front of every school in the Laurens County School District you'll find signs that say, "Staff members are armed and trained. Any attempt to harm children will be met with deadly force."
"We must move beyond just locking the doors and thinking something is not going to happen in our buildings," said Brigman.
Edwards says that makes her feel better when she drops her kids off at school.
"My boys are my world. They are the reason I get up and why I go to bed and do what I do every day, so as long as they are safe," said Edwards.
Brigman says the district spent more than a half million dollars over the last year on installing cameras, hiring mental health professionals, and also doubling the number of school resource officers.