Parents and board press for restored SROs, weapons-detection and tougher door controls after reports of threats

Residents at the Matthews County School Board town hall on Oct. 23 pressed the board and superintendent about daily safety failures after multiple speakers described unlocked doors, a pulled SRO program and recent student threats.

Daniel Schrader told the board a high-school student once fashioned a weapon and a kindergarten student threatened classmates. “The doors are unmanned and open and unlocked,” he said, adding that “anybody can come in and do anything they want.” He also said the sheriff had pulled SROs earlier and criticized the board for not restoring visible security sooner.

Doctor Daniel, invited by the chair to respond, said the sheriff’s office removed SROs and that board and division leaders have been working with the sheriff and commonwealth’s attorney to restore officers. “We have a joint leadership meeting to work on solutions for financing,” he said, adding that the sheriff is pursuing a grant that could fund two additional positions.

Board members and commenters focused on short-term fixes and longer-term options. Several speakers urged better perimeter control—door alarms, hardened entrances and clearer volunteer vetting—while Doctor Daniel said the division had bids under review to upgrade access-control systems and that some door alarms and magnetic locks are failing and require replacement.

The superintendent also said the division is talking with weapons-detection vendors about installing systems for large events and at high school entrances. “I have a meeting with vendors for weapons detection … to talk through that process in getting those installed,” he said, adding that threat assessments include law-enforcement participation.

On arming staff, the board cautioned that Virginia law restricts non-law-enforcement personnel. Doctor Daniel noted legal hurdles and suggested school security officers—often retired law-enforcement personnel employed by the division—could be a legally viable, armed alternative to teachers. “School security officers actually are employees of the school division, whereas school resource officers are employees of the sheriff’s office,” he said.

Community members pressed for clearer, regular reporting and earlier action. Bridal Johnson, a former board member, reminded the board that cameras and sensors were installed previously and urged immediate repair and staffing at building entrances. Several parents called for routine background checks for volunteers and clearer procedures for event security.

Next steps the board and superintendent described included continuing joint discussions with the sheriff on grant funding, reviewing access-control upgrade bids, and returning to the public with proposed changes; no formal board vote or policy change was recorded at the town hall.