Concerns about bullying led to some angry public comments during last week's Hammond School Board meeting.
In one instance, family members complained about an incident that appeared to have been coordinated on social media and, they, involved an individual who wasn't a student riding a school bus and entering Hammond Central High School. They said the incident went on for more than two minutes in a hallway without intervention from teachers or security, while other students recorded it on their cell phones.
Superintendent Scott Miller said there was a multiple-department response, and school officials are working to address any security failures. But he said there are some challenges.
"Schools are not jails," Miller said. "They're not high-security facilities. There's a balance between those two things, but I absolutely hear. When I heard what had happened — I saw the videos, as well — I was disgusted, and we are taking steps to make sure those things, as best as possible, don't happen again."
This isn't the first time there have been reports of unauthorized individuals entering Hammond Central. Last January, a student from another school reportedly brought a gun into Hammond Central, when another student opened a side door.
Miller said modern fire codes require a lot of doors, and Hammond Central has more than 100.
