House Subcommittee Considers Six Different School Safety Bills

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Lawmakers, education officials and law enforcement all have different ideas on how to make South Carolina schools safer.
But they all agree steps like having a police officer in every school, someone monitoring surveillance cameras whenever students are in the building or metal detectors will all cost a lot.
A House subcommittee considered six different school safety bills Wednesday.
Experts including State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel, Education Superintendent Molly Spearman and leaders of school associations all agreed the best solution is an armed police officer in every school.
Authorities estimate there are armed officers in about half of the state’s more than 1,200 schools. Keel says he has seen estimates it would cost around $60 million for the first year to get officers into the remaining schools.