Fort Gibson Schools Hold School Security Seminar to Help Other Communities Deter Violence

It's been more than two months since five students were injured in a shooting at Fort Gibson Middle School. America's schools are mobilizing to prevent the violence no one imagined until only

Tuesday, February 22nd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

It's been more than two months since five students were injured in a shooting at Fort Gibson Middle School. America's schools are mobilizing to prevent the violence no one imagined until only a few years ago. Experience proves all schools, public, private, large or small, face the threat.

Some Oklahoma educators, law enforcement and emergency workers went to Fort Gibson Tuesday to learn how to deter it. School safety specialist Mike Dorn told them some solutions require partnering among community groups. "The schools can't fix it, law enforcement can't fix it,â€ Dorn said. â€œBut if we all work together around the country, we've seen some very dramatic results where schools have been made much safer."

Dorn trained the group on topics including crisis response and how students conceal weapons. He urges schools to focus more on studentâ€™s motivations behind the use of weapons. "When we look at the 250 plus violent school deaths in this country since 1992, we see certain patterns,â€ he noted. â€œFor example, the most common event to precede a school weapons assault is a fight."

Fort Gibson superintendent Steve Wilmoth says the district has intensified its training in the aftermath of the shooting, and offered this advice. "I think other administrators need to keep in mind that they need a plan in hand,â€ he said. â€œYou must have the people who are capable of carrying that plan out."

Wilmoth says students are healing better than his staff, though some are still in counseling. "Outside numbers that have major problems, I'm not sure about,â€ he said. â€œWe do have some long term scars. "

Dorn says school violence is actually decreasing, because communities now have the information needed to strengthen their school security. He said, "For every Columbine, Padukah and Springfield, Oregon-type incident we've had, we've had one of two or three that have been stopped, because of measures developed with a community collaborative effort."

Wilmoth says while he and his staff feel safe again, he doubts they'll ever fully get over the trauma of the shootings. Some of the staff plan to visit Jonesboro, Arkansas soon. Five people died in a school shooting there two years ago. Wilmoth says he hopes Jonesboro educators can help them move forward with their recovery.