Nov. 9, 2022 2:15p
(WGTD)---Less than a day after Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson called for metal detectors in all of Racine Unified's high schools, a 16-year-old student got stabbed in the back at Case High School.
The injury is not life-threatening, and a 15-year-old student was immediately arrested. According to a news release from Mt. Pleasant Police, the knife used was brought from home.
At Monday night's school board meeting, Hanson said it's naive to believe that metal detectors aren't needed on a permanent basis, and not just occasionally. "I think we're foolish to not think there's a gun in every single one of those buildings every single day," Hanson said. "If kids with guns don't want to come to school because they see a metal detector, I think that's a win, in my opinion," she said.
Hanson was invited to the meeting as part of a presentation by administration on school safety. The county, the city and the school district teamed up last spring to collaborate on coming up with ways to reduce gun violence.
That collaboration includes more than just stronger enforcement measures.
Based on what residents are saying at town hall meetings, officials are trying to find better ways of getting out information on jobs, home ownership and other things they may make residents less likely to fall off the rails. "The hope is by making the connections, folks don't turn to violence. Their kids don't turn to violence. Their kids want to get jobs. They want to work. They don't want to be in the streets," said Hanson, cautioning that "the call of the streets is (at times) too strong for people who are hopeless and don't see hope in their future."
She had high praise for the district’s community connectors—positions recently created to serve as liaisons between students and various community services.
She also said the ranks of school resource officers need to be beefed up, and their job descriptions reviewed for possible changes.
After her presentation, RUSD Superintendent Eric Gallien thanked Hanson and said the district was eager to continue working with her.
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