How safe is the Tower?

Since the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year when the Tower was revealed, students and teachers alike have questioned the safety of the new building. However, after recent school shootings, fear is at an all-time high and people are looking for answers.

Some think the Tower design is amazing and believe it’s a very nice building. It is new, clean, has a lot of natural light and views of the Gopher Bowl and you can people watch, but that means nothing. The question going around is whether or not it’s safe or not.

Teachers are concerned too. As teachers, one of their main goals is to make students feel safe and welcomed. How can they do that if they can’t protect us from possible dangers or threats that may be outside the door?

One concerned teacher makes the point that she is the first classroom in the hallway and her room has glass windows everywhere. It is worrisome being on display in a "fish-bowl" and having no protection if we were to have a real emergency.

Despite students and teachers voicing their concerns about the new building, improvements are projected for the summer. Faculty, staff and police officers on this campus are doing what they can to keep us safe but they can only do so much. Real changes will come from the people in charge at the district level and school board.

In the meantime, Dr. Beard and the rest of administration have worked hard to start new procedures like checking student IDs when everyone walks into school in the morning. This will get rid of people who don’t belong on campus and will make us safer while our cries for help in the Tower seem to go unheard.

RS8A900

RS8A582

RS8A5880