Harker Incident Serves As Wake Up Call For Teachers
Teachers are reconsidering their routines when staying in their classrooms after school hours
By: Lauryn Luescher
Every day teachers arrive early and stay late in order to get their work done before students arrive and fear unwanted visitors around campus.
On Jan. 2, a teacher from Harker Middle School was sexually assaulted and robbed in her classroom, hours before students arrived on their first day back from winter break. After the incident, some teachers felt they needed to take extra precautions in their classrooms before and after hours.
History teacher Danni McConnell stays on campus late into the evening and feels that she is capable of protecting herself as she has experience with boxing, however, she is concerned about her colleagues. McConnell makes an effort to make herself available to other teachers that stay late in case an unsafe situation arises.
“My biggest concern is that someone who doesn't belong here will hurt a teacher or student but because of this (Harker) occurrence we have taken steps to address it,” McConnell said.
McConnell along with other teachers on campus have created a buddy system when walking to their cars late at night and always lock their doors when students are off campus.
There is no limit to how long teachers can stay after school during the week. However on weekends, teachers are not allowed to stay past 5 p.m. and are required to call into Central Station letting them know that they are there after hours. Central Station has access to all the cameras on campus and will send someone to check the perimeter if there are any problems.
English teacher Kathleen Quint who is often on campus early before school because of her 0 period course, said it can be more convenient for teachers to finish their work at school rather than bringing it home.
“Sometimes you are learning material or sorting things out and this classroom is bigger than half my house so I can lay out my stuff,” Quint said. “When my kids were little it was easier to work here because it's quiet and no one is bothering me.”
This year, the district made efforts to make the campus safer for students and teachers by increasing the lighting and adding security cameras. Teachers also have access to Central Station as they are monitoring the campus around the clock.
Science teacher Rob Zaccheo feels safer with these new additions and can always find people on campus after hours in case of an emergency.
“Most of the time when I’m here late, there are other people here late,” Zaccheo said. “It's a very active campus so you don't feel like the one person here late at night and there is always custodial staff here.”
Principal Herb Espiritu understands the need for teachers to stay late, but wants them to use their best judgement regarding their safety.
“I would just encourage teachers to prepare for their classes as they see fit whether they like to do it here or at home, but if at all possible I wouldn't want them here too late at night,” Espiritu said. “I do understand I have three kids at home and sometimes if I have to do work I'll stay here.”
Teachers are reconsidering their routines when staying in their classrooms after school hours
By: Lauryn Luescher
Every day teachers arrive early and stay late in order to get their work done before students arrive and fear unwanted visitors around campus.
On Jan. 2, a teacher from Harker Middle School was sexually assaulted and robbed in her classroom, hours before students arrived on their first day back from winter break. After the incident, some teachers felt they needed to take extra precautions in their classrooms before and after hours.
History teacher Danni McConnell stays on campus late into the evening and feels that she is capable of protecting herself as she has experience with boxing, however, she is concerned about her colleagues. McConnell makes an effort to make herself available to other teachers that stay late in case an unsafe situation arises.
“My biggest concern is that someone who doesn't belong here will hurt a teacher or student but because of this (Harker) occurrence we have taken steps to address it,” McConnell said.
McConnell along with other teachers on campus have created a buddy system when walking to their cars late at night and always lock their doors when students are off campus.
There is no limit to how long teachers can stay after school during the week. However on weekends, teachers are not allowed to stay past 5 p.m. and are required to call into Central Station letting them know that they are there after hours. Central Station has access to all the cameras on campus and will send someone to check the perimeter if there are any problems.
English teacher Kathleen Quint who is often on campus early before school because of her 0 period course, said it can be more convenient for teachers to finish their work at school rather than bringing it home.
“Sometimes you are learning material or sorting things out and this classroom is bigger than half my house so I can lay out my stuff,” Quint said. “When my kids were little it was easier to work here because it's quiet and no one is bothering me.”
This year, the district made efforts to make the campus safer for students and teachers by increasing the lighting and adding security cameras. Teachers also have access to Central Station as they are monitoring the campus around the clock.
Science teacher Rob Zaccheo feels safer with these new additions and can always find people on campus after hours in case of an emergency.
“Most of the time when I’m here late, there are other people here late,” Zaccheo said. “It's a very active campus so you don't feel like the one person here late at night and there is always custodial staff here.”
Principal Herb Espiritu understands the need for teachers to stay late, but wants them to use their best judgement regarding their safety.
“I would just encourage teachers to prepare for their classes as they see fit whether they like to do it here or at home, but if at all possible I wouldn't want them here too late at night,” Espiritu said. “I do understand I have three kids at home and sometimes if I have to do work I'll stay here.”
