ORANGEBURG, S.C. — "After talking with my boys, I reassured them that school is safe," said Kerry Folk
.Orangeburg County parents like Folk are sending their kids back to Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School after a shooting last week injured three students.
A 14-year-old is in custody facing charges of three counts of assault and battery.
School board members, community leaders, as well as city and county officials joined together at the campus before the bell rang to, according to those there, comfort the Orangeburg-Wilkinson family and show them that their town is supporting them.
"It just uplifts my spirits to know the community is backing the students," expressed Folk.
"We told them 'Good Morning' as they drove up and got out of their cars," said Orangeburg Mayor Michael C. Butler, "we introduced ourselves and waved at the parents so that they can see a presence from us."
Since the shooting, the Orangeburg County School district has beefed up security at the school.
For the remainder of the year. the school is passing out clear book bags, which will be required starting Tuesday.
Private security officers have been added in addition to the school resource officer.
Students will have to go through metal detectors and have their bag checks.
Local law enforcement will be on campus to provide an additional presence when students arrive and leave school. Even with the added security measures in place, Orangeburg's mayor says this one incident doesn't make Orangeburg.
"We need to show our perseverance through this," explained Butler. "We need to show people that we are stronger and that this isolated shooting doesn't make us or determine what kind of city we are."