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WREG
School officers on the job as high school jamborees kick off
By Alex Coleman,
1 day ago
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Several MSCS High School Jamborees kicked off Thursday, just days after there had been questions about whether school resource officers would provide security.
Those football jamborees will feature almost 30 different high schools and will be held Thursday and Friday nights at stadiums throughout the city.
The school district says their school resources officers will be at the games and the other measures in place to keep you safe. Parents are now breathing a collective sigh of relief that SROs will be on the job.
“Having that extra security, it lessens us, the worry when we go out because we want to attend the events for our kids, but it’s hard sometimes when you have to worry about people acting crazy,” parent Sherena Dotch said.
MSCS and its school resource officers reached an agreement that gives them more pay and apparently will keep them working after threats of a walkout.
Althea Greene, MSCS School Board chairwoman, said the SROs are satisfied with the agreement.
“The superintendent met with them. Our new safety director met with them. I think we’ve satisfied them,” she said.
WREG obtained a letter Thursday apparently sent from the school resource officers to the district, thanking the administration, school board members and the community.
“Your support has energized us to keep moving forward and continuing the business of protecting the safety of our children, the staff and the community in which we proudly serve,” the SROs said in the letter.
A school resource officer uses a wand while providing security at a football game.
Since those demands were met, we wanted to know if MSCS and school board members are confident their SROs will in fact be at the jamborees.
“I know that officers will be there. Safety will always remain a priority for Memphis Shelby County Schools,” Greene said.
In previous years, violence has erupted at Jamborees.
During a school board committee meeting, Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins couldn’t give an exact number but says security will be increased.
And for those showing up at the jamborees, only clear bags or small clutches will be allowed, and all bags will be checked as the district tries to reassure the public SROs will be on the job and there is a backup plan to make sure everyone is safe.
“We always have a contingency plan in general,” Feagins said. “But in this case, yes, our partnerships with MPD and the sheriff’s department continue to strengthen. They are prepared but are also stretched.”
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