The recent locking of the doors from the portables to the main building all comes from a meeting with the District Safety Committee. Due to CHS having unlocked doors during school hours, and being one of the biggest schools in the district, it was ruled that the doors needed to be locked during class hours. So far, the plan has gone smooth, with no major problems occurring, given there has been a lack of complaints about it.

Not only has this kept students and staff safer, but it also has other advantages. Owen Sanford, who is in charge of safety in the school, said, “I think there are fewer students coming in and out of the buildings, and I think we can be more certain that people coming into the buildings will use the main entrance. If a student were to leave the building and come in during class, they couldn’t, unless they came from a class and had a pass to do so.” Not only has it increased safety, but possibly, helped problems like students skipping class as well.

The District Safety Committee, composed of eleven members, came up with the plan given many other schools are doing them. With Camas’ size, it was a necessity and they quickly began to come up with ideas of how to run it, and how to inform the staff of the changes. The meetings continued for some time, and even now, they still hold them.

Outside of CHS, most of the other schools have already been doing this. Locking the outside doors has kept everyone inside safe, and had little to no repercussions as a result. Camas has kept functioning the way it always has, and overall safety has increased.

Kids are having reactions about this new safety rule also. Kids who are going in and out of the portables are having mixed reactions. In an interview with a student at Camas High School, Robert Noriega, said this about the new safety rules, “I really don’t have a problem with it, it is a little annoying having to take the passes but besides that I have had zero problems with it.” Another student, Julia Chwaliszewski, Senior, says, “I think it’s a good idea because our doors can lock too, and if someone does get in, we’re safe, and the people inside are safe too, so I think it’s a good idea.”

Overall, the new system of locking the doors during class hours has been both efficient, and has had a positive effect on CHS.