COLUMBIA, S.C. — Richland County School District One held a school safety conversation Thursday night at Dreher High School. Community members, parents, and school members gathered to talk more about how everyone can work together to keep students safe.
“The teachers are teaching the math, English, etc. We need to be able to teach them life skills," Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. "We need to teach them about how to make good decisions on not getting involved with gangs and drugs and guns."
These are just some of the ways Lott thinks schools can do better. Officials told parents that it is important build relationships with students and teach them about the dangers in the community.
The goal of the event was to talk with parents about how students' safety is a shared responsibility.
"The collaboration between the school district, between law enforcement, other agencies that support the district because in an event that there are instances or situations that happen, there are a lot of entities that come together," Richland One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon, said.
There was a conversation about a policy to ban cell phones in school. Parents were worried that they would not be able to be reach in school threat incidents.
“In an event something tragic were to happen, parents would indeed get communication from the school, from the district and directions as to what to do and what is happening," Witherspoon said.
“I got children, I got grandchildren. I’m not gonna let your children come to school if I think there’s a legitimate threat and Chief Holbrook is not going to do the same thing either. We’re not going to do that," Lott said.
The superintendent told News 19 more forums like Thursday's event are being planned for the future.