By STEPHANIE BEECKEN
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - The
safety of Knox County Schools is in the spotlight after an audit reveals
security system shortcomings.
This evening school board members met to
discuss the findings at Powell Middle School and Hardin Valley Academy.
During
the work session, the board spent well over an hour discussing school security,
and they approved additional security inspections.
The superintendent admitted communication
could have been improved between himself and the board.
An
independent audit of security systems for Hardin Valley Academy and Powell Middle says the security systems do not meet quality expectations in the
educational environment.
The company
found broken key pads and missing motion detectors to generic brands being used
in place of name brands.
The audit also says the video does not
provide facial recognition or high resolution video evidence in the event of a
crime or school incident.
PBA officials say these problems have not been
fixed because the issues are in litigation.
Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre says despite
the audit, the schools are secure.
"The systems are
operational, and the schools are secure. Now do we have the equipment and the
functionality that was specified in the contract? No we don't," said Dr.
McIntyre.
To put the community at ease, the board has
agreed to have a random school security inspection.
School board member Mike McMillan wants more
information on exactly what the school security system's standard of
functioning is.
"When you talk about something as
functional or not either, it works or it doesn't work. Either a camera works to
someone with average eyesight or it doesn't," said McMillan.
McMillan says the board has to come up with a specific standard to compare all security
systems.
He also wants the superintendent to give more
information to the board when issues arise.
Dr. McIntyre agrees, "I said to the
school board members we have these deficiencies at these schools, and we are
addressing them but I did not but I did not provide them with a copy of the
audit. If I could do it again I'd do that."
Dr.
McIntyre says details on the random school security inspection proposal will be
discussed during their next work session on Feb. 18 at the Andrew Johnson
Building.
"The systems are operational, and the schools are secure. Now do we have the equipment and the functionality that was specified in the contract? No we don't," said Dr. McIntyre.
