PGCPS officials describe security upgrades, new "Safe Passage" coordinators after parent complaints about inconsistent school policies

A parent and Prince George's County Public Schools officials used the board's March 13 work session to press and report on measures intended to make county schools safer.

"My name is Keish Jones. My son is Keish Mazori. He is 6 years old, a first grader," said Keish Jones, a parent who said school-to-school variation in how policies are enforced has made it difficult to resolve concerns. "It has been very conflicting because it seems as though there are policies in place, but principals have the right to configure how much of a policy they want to abide to or not abide to in their school." The board did not respond to comments during public comment as part of its rules.

Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) leaders described a range of security and safety steps they say are reducing contraband and incidents districtwide. Director Gary Cunningham of Safety and Security Services told the board that "if our kids, have to worry about safety, they can't learn," and outlined training, staffing and equipment changes.

Why it matters: PGCPS serves more than 130,000 students in roughly 198 schools and more than 200 facilities. Changes to how the district manages school security and pedestrian safety affect daily student access, staffing needs and capital planning across the county.

What officials told the board

- Staffing and training: Cunningham said the department includes about 220 safety…