Florida is making a significant change in school security. Instead of the usual student resource officers (SROs) being in charge of security, many schools have decided to replace these officers with armed guards in their halls.

In the aftermath of the tragic events that occurred at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Parkland High School shootings in 2018, Florida lawmakers, administrators, and parents petitioned for ways to make schools safer. As a result, Florida law now requires every public school to have at least one-armed security guard present

Lawmakers passed this decision in 2018 to prevent repeating the tragedies that took place. Many administrators and citizens believe it will ensure more present law enforcement and extra security on campus and allow more students and staff to feel safer once on school grounds. However, some argue that there are better measures to take, as this can result in conflict, more aggression, and even more shootings. 

Letters were recently passed from the mayor of Pembroke Pines to the school’s billboard chairman, Lori Aldhadeff, stating how public schools in Pembroke Pines must pay a full cost to continue having resource officers and armed security present. As a result, SROs at many Pembroke Pines schools are now being replaced with armed guards. This causes many to wonder: is this a possibility that we can encounter here at PPCHS in the future?

“I don’t like the idea; fortunately, we have the support of the police department, so we have our SROs,” explains PPCHS principal Mr. Bayer.” I don’t see armed guards having the same relationship SROs have already made with the students.”

It’s been decided that armed guards won’t be added on PPCHS’s school grounds since Charter is already acquainted with 2 SROs and unarmed security guards. 

Some parents still claim that armed guards will only cause an indent in the relationship between the officers and students and end up causing more problems for the safety of the students. Ultimately, it’s been decided on Florida’s public schools, including Pembroke Pines.