Is Bulletproof Glass Necessary for School Entryway?

A new entryway is planned for Lincoln Elementary School, but some city officials are questioning whether more serious steps needed to be taken as part of the design.

The Port Washington Plan Commission approved the design concept that requires visitors to identify themselves to receptionists before being buzzed in to enter, according to the Ozaukee Press. The receptionist window would be made of laminate glass, but some commission members questioned whether bulletproof class would be better.

Officials have been reviewing security procedures since tragedy shook an elementary school in the Newtown, CT, elementary school in December.

As the first step in increasing security measures at the schools, officials added a buzzer that parents and visitors will have to ring before being allowed into the schools. The intiative has also included an increase in the number of lockdown drills conducted at the schools, as well as a desire to participate in table top exercises to help coordinate effective safety procedures, something suggested by law enforcement several years ago when staff participated in an emergency training exercise with law enforcement.