Last week, Livingston Public Schools hosted a community conversation focused on school security. The program included district administrators and members of the Livingston Police and Fire Departments, and touched on topics ranging from active shooter incidents to cybersecurity.The school shooting that occurred earlier this year in Uvalde, Texas was one of the most discussed topics that evening. It was heartbreaking to hear parents discuss the fears they have about simply sending their children to school, and they relayed the concerns their children have shared with them, as well. It was a somber, grim discussion, but one that, sadly, needs to be had in 2022. We are glad the district was willing to listen to these comments directly, even if all involved knew there would be no magic answers to solve these terrible issues.We thank the school district for hosting this forum, and all of the officials who participated in it for responding to difficult questions as thoughtfully and honestly as they could (without divulging information that could compromise security protocols). We also applaud the residents – mostly parents of students in the district – for spending their evening in the high school auditorium when they could have easily stayed home and watched the Emmy Awards or Monday Night Football. It took everyone in the room to have such a productive conversation. We hope it is just the first of many.
