Here’s what school, law enforcement leaders are saying about guns in Rock Hill schools
A handful of York County law enforcement officials and school leaders attempted to ease concerns Monday night at a Rock Hill Schools forum after multiple guns were found in the district’s schools last month.
“There will not be a Uvalde in York County, South Carolina, and I can assure you of that,” York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said. “I’m not being critical. I don’t know all the facts in Uvalde. ... But I do know that will not happen in York County.”
During the hour-long forum, school officials, law enforcement and prosecutors answered questions from a group of parents and community members related to the gun seizures, the district’s response to the incidents and safety measures.
At the end of August, three guns were found and three juveniles were arrested on consecutive days at South Pointe and Rock Hill high schools, and Dutchman Creek Middle School. All three schools are in the Rock Hill School District.
No one was hurt in any of the three incidents and no shots were fired.
As a result, the district quickly implemented additional safety measures, but concerns from parents and the public intensified and in the following weeks, student attendance dropped, officials said.
While the law enforcement officials who spoke at Monday’s forum acknowledged the community’s heightened concerns, they also insisted that the seizures were an indication the district’s safety measures are working.
“It just so happens that Rock Hill pulled the unlucky card and three guns were found in a week in Rock Hill Schools,” Tolson said. “I’m going to say something that sounds crazy — as sheriff, I’m glad we found three guns because if parents think that not finding guns means they’re not there, you’re mistaken. They’re there. That means Rock Hill Schools are looking.”
Additional safety measures
The district already had several preventive safety measures in place prior to the gun seizures, including staff training, a tip line and a standard response protocol to operate in emergency situations.
The district has 2,000-plus cameras, single-point entry systems and door-monitoring systems. There’s also nearly 40 security officials across the district’s 24 schools, including an armed and trained security member in each one.
But in response to the seizures, the district implemented additional measures, including more randomized safety screenings at its three high schools and five middle schools. And Director of Safety and Security Andrew Jones said the searches will continue.
“We did meet Wednesday and talked about things that went well, things that we can improve on, ways to make this work more smoothly and be less disruptive to some of the learning environments, but we believe that the safety of our students is worth a five-minute to 10-minute delay in a classroom,” Jones said.
Several parents asked why the district does not have metal detectors in its schools, and Jones said the district isn’t opposed to the idea.
“Metal detectors are always one of the things we’re looking at,” he said. “At this point, we feel like we’re looking at some other options, including that and seeing what’s the best tool to implement inside of our schools right now.”
However, the forum’s law enforcement officials pointed out that metal detectors require significant manpower.
“If there’s not somebody there from the time that school opens in the morning until it closes in the evening, it’s not a perfect solution,” South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel said.
And Keel said there’s a shortage of individuals who want to work in that role.
“There’s nothing more important than our children, but today, in our profession, unfortunately, ... we have tremendous vacancies in law enforcement right now,” he said. “We have folks who don’t want to do this job anymore, so finding the personnel to man those positions, whether it’s private security or law enforcement personnel, it is difficult.”
Increase in guns
In the last two years, Rock Hill Police Chief Chris Watts said violent crime in the city has dropped. He said as a whole, Rock Hill and its schools are safe, but it’s important that students and parents continue to speak up and play a role in stopping any potential dangers.
“It really starts with the home — parents keeping up with what their children are doing and it goes back to the teachers and school administrative staff noticing things, as well as the (school resource officers), and it culminates in communicating together all at once.”
Additionally, Keel said people, including teens and young adults, have easier access to guns now more than ever.
“We’re seeing more guns on the street now than we’ve ever seen,” Keel said. “And on top of that, we’re seeing younger and younger people with guns. It’s not just a South Carolina problem. It’s a nationwide problem.”
And most of those guns are stolen, he said.
“Unfortunately, any jurisdiction in the state would tell you that a majority of guns we’re seeing get into the streets are coming out of people’s cars,” Keel said. “I can’t express to you in the strongest terms how important it is that we secure our weapons.”
Tolson said hiding guns in the house isn’t enough. He said gun owners should get a gun lock or a safe.
“Kids are curious and they’ll find more than you think they will find in the home,” he said.
Watts said the most important factor that will help ensure the area’s schools are safe is the continued cooperation between local and state law enforcement agencies.
“In these incidents that just came up, they were handled very well,” he said. “They were handled swiftly and we will follow through. I think the best part of Rock Hill and the Rock Hill school district is the cooperation, the partnerships and collaboration that we have working together every day.”
Consequences of arrests
Two of the juveniles arrested in August were already on probation for previous gun violations, according to court testimony, and several parents asked how those students were able to return to school.
“Once it’s adjudicated, and what I mean by adjudicated is it has been cleared through the courts,” Assistant Superintendent of Support Services Keith Wilks said. “They have received whatever punishment or consequences they’re going to receive through the court system. Then, those students have served their debt to society.”
Wilks said the school district can’t stop a student from returning unless it believes there still is a danger to its schools. In those instances, Wilks said the district will look at whether the student has been involved in drug trafficking or drug distribution, a high and aggravated nature assault, or a firearm in the community.
“We can’t necessarily ban a student because of something that has happened in the community if it has been adjudicated, and that’s what the law provides for us as far as being able to ensure that we’re not infringing on a student’s rights,” Wilks said.
Sixteenth Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett added that his office takes guns, violence and threats at schools very seriously, but he said what his office does is very different than what the school system does.
“What we do has nothing to do with whether a child remains in school or is allowed back into school,” Brackett said. “I know the schools are limited by the law as well. If the law says you must take this child back, then they have to follow the law just like everyone else does.”
At the end of the panel, Superintendent Tommy Schmolze acknowledged that law enforcement’s support and cooperation is important to school safety, but he said it’s going to take the whole community to stop the problem.
“It can’t be a law enforcement thing,” he said. “I don’t think you can arrest your way on this. I don’t think it’s a school district thing. I don’t think we can put as many metal detectors, SROs or SSOs in schools to stop it. I think it’s going to take all of us.”
This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 8:34 AM.
