School officials in Broward County are defending themselves from criticism leveled by the parents and spouses of victims of February's massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
The Broward County school district issued a statement late Thursday, responding to criticism from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School families that campus security remains lacking throughout the county. The statement says that while it is understandable the families feel frustrated, there is no "fast, easy fix" and that progress has been made.
The parents and spouses of the 17 victims earlier Thursday called for the ouster of the school board in the upcoming Aug. 28 election. They criticized the delay in installing metal detectors at Stoneman Douglas and the district's decision to abort an internal investigation into the Feb. 14 shooting. The district said the investigation was conflicting with a state investigation.
The parents and spouses of the 17 students and staff who died in the Florida high school massacre are calling for the removal of the school board in the upcoming election, saying they have failed to adequately improve campus security.
Tony Montalto is president of the group the families formed. At a news conference Thursday, Montalto said the Broward County school district has "stood by" in the six months since the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He says the district's 234 campuses are not prepared to reopen next week. He also pointed to the district's decision to abort an internal investigation into the shooting and to not immediately install metal detectors at Stoneman Douglas. The parents of two shooting victims are running for the board in the Aug. 28 election.
The district did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, but Superintendent Robert Runcie has said all schools will have armed police officers or guards beginning opening day. He previously said the internal investigation was halted because it conflicted with a state commission that is also investigating the shooting.
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