‘We are not ready': Orange County school leader voices concern over safety

An Orange County School Board member said the district is not ready if an emergency were to happen at one of its schools.

At Tuesday night's School Board meeting, District 5 Vice Chair and Board Member Kat Gordon voiced her concerns over a recent education summit she attended where safety was a priority.

At the School Board meeting, Gordon discussed a conversation she had with school district leaders in Broward County, a district still recovering after a former student brought a gun to Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, pulled a fire alarm, and ultimately shot and killed 17 people.

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“The preparation before, the prep during and prep after, we don't have that down pat and I'm in a school every day,” Gordon said. “We are not ready. I'm being honest with you.”

Gordon recommended bringing in the teams that responded to the Parkland shooting to discuss what went right and what went wrong.

“I've been 52 years of teaching and not one time did I hear any of the things that they talked about at this conference, which was mind boggling,” Gordon said.

The superintendent said Gordon brought those concerns to her and she's working with district security officials to see what additional training they can give to teachers to fill in those gaps.

"OCPS has prepared, under the advisement of national school safety and security experts, and will continually review and update plans when any concerns or new information is provided," a spokesperson for Orange County Public Schools said in a statement. "Dr. Gordon was voicing her opinion after hearing presentations at a national conference that discussed school tragedies. Her feedback will be reviewed by district individuals responsible for school safety plans. Please note that such plans are confidential under state law as an added measure of safety."