Bradford High arrest; Kenosha school leaders weigh safety concerns
Kenosha school district talks adding safety measures
After a second arrest at Bradford High School in two days, the Kenosha Unified School District met Thursday, Feb. 12, as police found ammunition but no gun, and leaders weighed metal-detecting wands.
KENOSHA, Wis. - A second student was arrested at Bradford High School in two days, intensifying debate over how the district should respond to mounting safety concerns.
What we know:
The Kenosha Unified School District discussed a proposal Thursday night, Feb. 12, that would allow trained personnel to use handheld metal-detecting wands when searching students suspected of having a weapon. District officials said the item had already been on the agenda before this week’s incidents.
Hours earlier, police arrested a 15-year-old student after receiving information the teen may have had a gun off campus. Officers searched the student at school and found ammunition and multiple firearm magazines, but no gun.
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Investigators said they do not believe a weapon was brought into the building.
The committee did not vote on the measure. Instead, members introduced it for discussion before potentially sending it forward for a future meeting.
The arrest came a day after another Bradford student was taken into custody for bringing a loaded gun to school.
Last week, a Bradford student also died in a shooting near Library Park. Two Indian Trail High School students were wounded – one critically.
What they're saying:
Parents said they are worried about what could happen next.
"I feel like if I send my child into school, I’m sending him into danger," said Michelle Sheely, a Bradford parent. "That’s exactly what I feel like right now. This is really scary."
Kenosha police arrest student at Bradford High School; here's why
Kenosha police arrested a student at Bradford High School on Thursday morning, Feb. 12.
School leaders say efforts to strengthen security are not new.
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"This is one of the things we’ve been talking about for a long time, so we are always continuing to come up with ways to keep everyone safe," said Jeff Weiss, KUSD superintendent.
Some on the board say it’s time to ramp things up.
"I think we are really going to have to get in gear," said Bob Tierney, KUSD board member. "We gotta amp it up. We are not doing enough currently. I mean, this policy is good, but we need better protection systems to prevent stuff from coming in."
What's next:
The proposal is expected to return at the end of the month, when the full board could decide whether to move forward.
The Source: FOX6 News attended the Kenosha Unified School District meeting.