LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County School District leaders held a press conference on Wednesday to address concerns about the safety of students over summer break.
With 8 days left in the CCSD school year, concerns over student safety are mounting after a campus security monitor was injured by a "stray bullet" outside Ed Von Tobel Middle School on Monday.
District officials also released a statement in April to announce an investigation into "vague" threats being made toward various campuses on social media. Officials have pointed toward individuals "outside of the community" as the cause of the threats multiple times, with the intention of "disrupting learning."
"We need our families and community's help. We are educators. CCSD cannot solve every community challenge. Our cities and counties must step up to prevent these incidents from spilling onto our campuses," said CCSD Board of Trustees President Evelyn Garcia Morales. "To parents and guardians, please monitor your children's social media accounts — this includes rumors. Report suspicious activity to SafeVoice, and look through your children's belongings to make sure they do not have access to firearms."
Currently, CCSD police have confiscated 30 firearms from individuals on CCSD campuses — coming just short of the 33 firearms found on campuses in 2022.
Additionally, 35 BB guns and 132 knives have also been confiscated by school police on campuses.
CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara pointed to the difference as progress but also reiterated that many issues seen on campus are "echoing what's happening in our community."
5 of the incidents involving firearms, Dr. Jara says, involved adults coming onto CCSD campuses. 5 of the firearms confiscated on school grounds were also determined to have been "brought from home," according to CCSD Police Chief Henry Blackeye.
The youngest student to have brought a gun onto a CCSD campus is reportedly 6 years old, according to Dr. Jara.
"Look, we've caught 30 — those are the ones we caught," Dr. Jara said. "Are there more? Potentially,"
To increase police presence on campuses, Dr. Jara announced that he has asked for $21 million in state funding during the current legislative session. The district is also investigating alternative safety measures for students and educators, including implementing clear backpack policies and possibly installing metal detectors.
Officials urged parents to monitor their student's social media accounts and check their students' backpacks and belongings to ensure they do not have access to firearms. Chief Blackeye also encouraged parents and guardians who own firearms to ensure the weapon is secure, and that their children do not have access to it.
Dr. Jara said that CCSD will make additional announcements about school security before the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.
