Central Florida school leaders attend safety tour at Parkland school shooting site
Tour of Parkland, Florida school massacre
Florida lawmakers and education leaders from across the country spent the weekend discussing school safety at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The group of more than 200 toured the site of the deadly school shooting - including school leaders from Central Florida.
Parkland, Fla. - Florida lawmakers and education leaders from across the country spent the weekend discussing school safety at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The group of more than 200 toured the site of the deadly school shooting – including school leaders from Central Florida.
Volusia County Schools confirmed two school board members and the district's Safety and Security director attended the tour.
Osceola County School Board Member Heather Kahoun and Flagler School Board Member Will Furry both posted on Facebook about attending.
"Today was one of the most difficult and emotional experiences of my life," Furry wrote. "A lot was learned today about ways to harden our schools and secure our campuses."
It was a timely tour for Flagler School leaders. At Tuesday's school board work session, district leaders are set to discuss the implementation of Alyssa's law. It's named in honor of a Parkland victim. School districts must now have a mobile panic button where staff can silently contact law enforcement in case of an on-campus threat.
Parkland shooting: 5 years since shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17
After a gunman murdered 14 students and three staff members at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School five years ago Tuesday, their families were left with a burning question: How do we go on with our lives while honoring our loved one’s memory?
At Tuesday's school board meeting later that evening, leaders are set to discuss the district's school safety assessment.
The group toured the building on campus where the 2018 shooting happened. It's been preserved as evidence since then – so the building is essentially frozen in time.
The group saw the shattered glass, bullet holes, desks still overturned, stains that marked the floor where the victims died and they walked the path of the shooter.
The tour was organized by a father whose son was one of the 17 people who died that day.
The building where the shooting happened is set to be demolished next summer.