REQUIRE SAFER DOOR LOCKS FOR SCHOOL EMERGENCIES

WHEREAS, violent or potentially violent incidents on school campuses and in the immediate neighborhoods surrounding school campuses are increasing at an alarming rate; and

WHEREAS, “lockdowns” are an effective tool to be used at school campuses to facilitate the safety of both students and staff during a violent or potentially violent situation; and

WHEREAS, many school staff keep their keys in areas where they do not have immediate access to them; and

WHEREAS, the locks in most school classrooms, offices and other rooms where students and school staff gather can only be locked from the outside; and

WHEREAS, the safety of school staff could be placed in jeopardy while going out into a hallway to lock their doors during a lockdown; and

WHEREAS, locking mechanisms that quickly lock the door from the inside (commonly referred to as “classroom function locks”) have been developed for the doors to classrooms, offices and other rooms where students and school staff gather:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers seek legislation that requires the doors of classrooms, offices or other rooms where students and school staff gather in either new public schools, colleges or universities that are being constructed, or existing public schools, colleges or universities that are being modified be equipped with locking mechanisms that allow the doors to be locked from the inside (commonly referred to as “classroom function locks”) or the best technology that accomplishes the same result; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers seek legislation that would require the doors of all classrooms, offices or other rooms where students and school staff gather in all public schools, colleges or universities to be equipped with locking mechanisms that allow the door to be locked from the inside (commonly referred to as “classroom function locks”) or the best technology that accomplishes the same result as soon as possible, but not later than Jan. 1, 2015.