Howard County Public School Systems Superintendent Bill Barnes is outlining actions to enhance school security and communication around students with reportable offenses in response to the arrest of a teen at Howard High School with a loaded gun in his backpack.

“The safety and security of our students and staff will remain a priority until I am satisfied, our staff is satisfied, and our students, family and community are satisfied that we have strengthened all aspects of our safety and security systems,” Barnes said during the Thursday’s Board of Education meeting.

A 17-year-old student was arrested Oct. 15 at Howard High School with a loaded gun in his backpack in connection with the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Kendrick McLellan in Columbia. The teen was wearing an ankle monitor for a previous attempted murder charge in Anne Arundel County and under the supervision of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services.

Because of state law, Barnes wasn’t informed of the nature of the student’s charges when he transferred to HCPSS, prompting frustration. Last week, the Maryland State Board of Education unanimously voted for an emergency regulation that requires school officials to share certain information from transfer students’ criminal records with one another, which Barnes said he was encouraged by.

As he became aware of “blind spots” in communication, Barnes said, he directed his staff to work with state and local agencies to identify the cause of gaps in communication and any immediate solutions to address them.

District staff is reviewing each case for students who have reportable offenses — certain serious offenses committed outside school — or who have been detained by DJS, and have identified “several more students” receiving DJS support. Regarding the case reviews, Barnes said he needs to ensure that each student is placed in the most appropriate educational setting, and will make adjustments as needed.

Barnes also announced a new “rigorous interview process” for “significant reportable offenses of high safety concern” to increase scrutiny when a new student comes into the district. The interview process will include the student’s family, the Student Supports and Engagement Office, and other district staff in some cases, Barnes said, to help gain more information. Staff will be trained on the interviewing process expectations.

“No additional details are able to be shared with us, and it’s our hope that through partnership with the families, the interview process will result in proper safety plan and appropriate placement for short- and long-term success,” Barnes said.

If the necessary details aren’t made available to help Barnes inform school placement, then the student will be placed in alternative education as the default. Barnes said he will also review the current alternative education options.

But some board members raised concerns about confidentiality and biases in sharing more information. Board member Jolene Mosley argued that while more communication is needed in some cases, in many others, it might not have a positive impact. Board member Jacky McCoy argued for alignment between state and local agencies so students know what treatment to expect and so they can understand they’ll be treated as innocent until proven guilty, which she said often doesn’t happen for certain populations.

The DJS is a complicated system, board member Robyn Scates said, and students can be involved with the agency for reasons other than violent crimes.

“I just don’t want the community or anyone in here to think that it’s just like that, and we’re going to just put people in alternative placement, because, again, we need to make sure that when it comes to diversity and inclusion and equity, that we are making sure all of our students are protected and are not being stereotyped, and a lot of times they are,” Scates said.

To address the question of how a student brought a loaded gun into the school building, Barnes said staff has been speaking with contractors for additional security measures. Everything from metal detectors to weapon detection systems, alert systems for staff, cameras, enhanced imaging and other systems have been in discussion.

Barnes said he is also considering increasing school security personnel. More than 500 people have signed up for the school safety advisory group that Barnes established as well.

Board of Education Chair Jennifer Mallo made a motion for the superintendent to review board policies to decide which, if any, need revision to improve reporting and communications around reportable offenses. The motion failed 3-3 with Mosley, McCoy and Scates voting against it. Scates asked for more legal counsel on the motion.

“I want to make sure that we’re not making a motion that is going to be in violation of anybody’s civil rights,” Scates said.

Barnes said the school system will address its problems, but it’s going to take collaboration to work through the systemic issues.

“But it’s felt like we’re part of a relay race supporting a child, where one agency will run and go to hand the baton off, and the next one will pick it up. But we’re not running together, we’re running separate legs, and we’re often dropping the baton in between.”

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