Seminole County teachers schooled on how to handle security threats

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Channel 9 is pushing to find out how Seminole County school leaders are making classrooms safer for children as they head back to school on Monday.

Just last week, the superintendent called for the firing of three top administrators at Hamilton Elementary School in Sanford for mishandling the investigation of a gun being brought to school by a student.

The teachers were put on leave and are set to be fired after an investigation found they didn't react quickly enough when the fourth-grade student took the unloaded gun to school two days in a row last school year.

Channel 9's Karla Ray said school officials have made it clear they don't want to talk about the incident because they could be facing legal action from those three employees.

"The superintendent has spoken to that, he's taken appropriate action and the emphasis on all of our campuses is safety first," said John Reichert of Seminole County Schools.

Before school starts on Monday, teachers are getting a lesson on how to handle similar issues and other security threats.

"The teachers are the second parents, the second line of defense, and they have to be on it. That's their job," said parent Jeffrey Birdman.

Ray found teachers and staff have been in security training all week. And while the training is not open to the public, district leaders insist there are steps being taken to keep any similar incident from happening again.

"Ranging from a potential weapon on campus to a fire evacuation, an accident close to the school where the school has to be closed down," said Reichert.

WFTV