Reagan recoups after Mount Tabor shooting
On Sept. 1 a shooting at Mount Tabor left one student fatally wounded. The effects were felt throughout the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system.
The day of the shooting Reagan went into a Community lockdown. Students and teachers were not allowed to leave classrooms. No one was allowed to leave campus. The school day lasted a little later than 3:40 pm. Bus riders had to sit in the cafeteria and wait for their bus to arrive because Tabor occupied all the buses to get students off their campus.
Days after the Mount Tabor shooting more guidance counselors and resource security officers were on Campus. The administration made themselves more available all in an effort to help students cope and feel safer on Reagan’s campus.
One month later, Reagan and other schools implemented a few new policies to make campus safer.
At Reagan football games, volleyball and soccer games spectators are being wanded at the gate. A clear bag policy has been put in place, and there are more security personnel on campus during all sporting events.
The clear bag policy is a way of keeping fans and attendees safer, while also expediting entry into events. This policy limits the size and type of bags allowed into venues, with some exceptions for medical or childcare needs. Like baby bags or medication bags for people attending the game.
“With the tabor shooting, guns are on campuses across the board and fights constantly,” said Reagan assistant principal Maurice Jackson. “we believed that the new policy for safety at games was needed as it is in bigger venues.”
The new security measures created new challenges in entry to the games, forcing athletic staff to come up with creative ways to keep the flow of entry moving quickly.
On Friday Oct. 1st, Reagan football played Davie in its homecoming game. To combat the excepted , Athletic Director Mitch Adams sold tickets during lunches.
“Yes it worked, during the last game we didn’t get everyone in until halftime so they missed some of the game,” Jackson said. “This past week selling tickets shredded the majority of the time and by halftime, most of everyone was in.”
Creating a safe game environment was a priority for WSFCS leadership, but getting to the root of the problem is also important.
Reagan’s administrators wanted to get across to its students that talking helps. Talk to someone, whoever it may be.
Guidance counselors made themselves more available to students in the following weeks and were eager to help in any way possible. Guidance counselors and administrators answered questions, provided emotional support, and dismissed rumors that originated from social media.
“It’s important to understand that everything on social media isn’t always truthful, “said guidance counselor Chris McCoy “So when students see posts or pictures that could potentially prevent certain actions or events from happening, they should show an adult so they can take the appropriate steps.”
The Reagan administration’s main focus is to reinforce rules and safety protocols. They want staff and students to be more aware during all lockdown drills, take all drills seriously, and always follow school rules for the safety of other students and staff.
“We are looking at getting new security cameras,” Jackson said, “ but other than that, here at Reagan we just want to reinforce all the rules to keep all of our Raiders safe.”
Some students and staff were affected by the incident too, whether they had friends or family at Mount Tabor.
Through all this schools around the area showed support in any way they could to uplift the Mount Tabor community.
This unprecedented event brought the community together. Parkland’s cheer team even made a video showing their spartan support. Many schools participated in a blue and gold day, T-shirts were made, positive images and thoughts were shared and reposted all over social media.
“No Raider Rides Alone” is a way of life at Reagan, and through this tragedy, that saying applied to all Spartans too.
What happened at Mount Tabor is tragic, and I will do anything to prevent it from happening here,” said junior Savanah Moore “I will gladly listen to anyone who needs to vent about anything going on in their life just to provide help.”
