Parents and Teachers Join Forces to Keep Schools Safe

In Baton Rouge, parents of students at Belaire High School came together after two alarming incidents. First, an unloaded .45 pistol was found in a student's locker. Then, deputies caught a man with a rifle near the school and firing it into the ground. These events prompted parents to say, "Enough is enough." Teachers also expressed their concerns. Storm Matthews, who has been teaching at Belaire High School for eight years, put student safety as her top priority. She noted that while there have been community issues, they hadn't previously affected the school directly. But now, she said, "the issues are crossing into the school."

To address these concerns, teachers and parents united to form a security group dedicated to mentoring students and maintaining community connections. Byron Turner, President of the Belaire High School Alumni Association, emphasized that the school needs a strong, united front against crime. "Crime won't have a place here at this school," he said. The new security group is inspired by the Glen Oaks Security Dads, which started in the 1990s after a student was killed near Glen Oak High School. This group has since become known for its community service and unity efforts in Baton Rouge. Turner believes that what worked for Glen Oaks can also work for Belaire. "If you care about this school, you should want to come back and contribute," he said.

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