TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Leon County Sheriff's Office and Leon County Schools addressed a spike in weapons found on campuses. School resource deputies found weapons at 3 different schools during a 4-day-period.
- School officials believe students are bringing weapons to school out of fear, not aggression.
- Community members can help students feel safe by volunteering to walk them to school.
- Watch the video to learn how the sheriff's office and district say parents can help prevent this issue.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Students are willing to risk expulsion by bringing weapons to school all because of one overwhelming concern.
Jimmy Williams, who works in Safety and Security at Leon County Schools, says he thinks social media is to blame.
“Every student I’ve spoken with over the past eight years has given me the same answer when asked why they act out or break rules. It's always about feeling unsafe," Williams said.
There have already been three separate incidents this school year where students brought weapons onto Leon County school campuses, the most recent was this past Monday.
One case involved a student who admitted to bringing a weapon because she felt unsafe.
“I would personally place blame on social media and Hollywood and music that do contribute to causing fear and anxiety in our young people today,“ Williams said.
Here in Leon County, that fear has already led to serious consequences.
In Florida, possessing a weapon on school grounds is a third-degree felony, a serious offense.
“If a student feels a need to bring a gun, knife, taser, that will be dealt with immediately, and it will be a swift severe consequence," Williams said.
In response, the Leon County Sheriff's Office has issued a call to action posting a PSA on Facebook to make community members are aware. They're encouraging everyone to play a role in keeping schools safe.
Javonni Hampton, the PIO for the Leon County Sheriff's Office, says community volunteers can make all the difference in helping students feel safe on their way to and from school.
“If we have more volunteers in the community to support these students who are not feeling safe that can provide an opportunity for them to walk a student home. So we are asking and calling on the community to also step in and provide that extra layer of security and safety for these students who may not feel safe leaving or going to school,” Hampton said.
School officials advise parents to have the difficult conversations at home with their children so that the issue of safety can be nipped early.
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