A new school year could bring new safety measures to a school district in Berks County.
School board members in the Governor Mifflin School District are set to give final approval to have an armed security officer walk the halls.
From a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012, to a stabbing and slashing incident near Pittsburgh, Pa. in 2014, violence in schools is all too familiar. Now, the Governor Mifflin School District is taking action.
"I think we need to be proactive with school safety, and we need to do anything we possibly can to provide that safety net for our students and our staff," said James Ulrich, president of the school board.
That's where Director of Safe Schools, John Yount, comes in. The district is pushing for him to carry a handgun and wear a uniform, which consists of a black polo shirt and khaki pants.
"This adds another layer to what I am already doing to try and keep everyone safe," said Yount, who has been with the district since last October.
Yount is a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper and former firearms instructor. He said carrying a gun is necessary in this day and age.
"If someone were to come into the building, an intruder of some type, I don't know what I would do unarmed. I would just wind up being another casualty," Yount said.
The initial proposal of the new use of force policy was unanimously approved by board members in March.
Yount researched 20 school districts in the state that have adopted similar policies. The superintendent said it's receiving positive feedback from parents.
"This is just a natural next step to provide another layer of protection for our students and staff," said Steve Gerhard, the district's superintendent.
This proposal requires Yount to maintain his firearms training. It is expected to be approved by the school board on August 17. If that's the case, Yount will begin carrying the gun and wearing the uniform when school starts later this month.