Clay County Schools hold open dialogue meetings about school safety

Clay County’s top educator said he’s working to make his schools safer, but he’s $13 million short in funding.

On Monday night, Superintendent Addison Davis held his first of seven "Listen & Learn" community meetings, which are open dialogues about school safety.

Davis drew applause from parents when he mentioned it’s his goal to get a deputy in every school, and that he doesn’t view arming teachers as a solution.

“Our educators should be armed with additional money, should be armed with inspiration, and they should be armed with the resources that they need to educate every one of our children,” Davis said.

Since the Parkland, Florida, high school massacre in February, the nationwide discussion about school hardening measures and adding resource officers has intensified.

The Florida Legislature passed a school safety bill, but Davis said the funding that comes with it, isn't enough.

“I would say, right now, we need around $15 million, and the state did a good job to give us $2.5 (million) to address mental health, to address safety, but we have a long way to go to create those systems and structures within our school district,” Davis said.

"A long way to go" is the last thing parents who send their children to school every day want to hear.

“Absolutely, that’s concerning to think that it’s going to take that much to secure the schools,” said parent Chris Wadley.

“We need funding and the government needs to step up and take care of it,” parent Gayle Little said.

Davis is holding his second "Listen & Learn" session at Oakleaf High School on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Cox Media Group