The bus drop off area is more secure than ever with new doors installed over Thanksgiving break that require a staff’s badge to open. According to Austin Independent School District (AISD), all doors in their schools should have restricted access that only key cards can open.
Secure doors similar to the door system at the front of the school will make it hard for non-school issued people to get in. According to management assistant to the principal Samuel Cabrera, AISD is making these changes for safety and security.
“This will improve Bowie because the doors are more secure than a gate with a chain that can be cut,” Cabrera said. “It will also prevent vehicles or motor bikes from driving in the courtyard.”
According to AISD, school courtyards are permitted for public use but only with permission. Students think that these changes could affect the environment of the school but still believe it is a safer way to get into the building, some think Bowie’s aesthetics could change for the worse.
“I think it makes me feel safer but it definitely could make the school look different and feel less welcoming,” sophomore Oliver Gibson said. “I think it might make it feel more prison-like, but overall I’m happy that the school is taking extra precautions when it comes to the safety of the students.”
This project is funded with the HVAC upgrade bond from 2022 which according to AISD, is to address campus deficiencies and to modernize school buildings, this bond gave the district $2.4 billion.
“I think that safety should be a top priority for our school but there are many other schools in Austin that don’t have half as many safety precautions than we do,” Gibson said. “I think that other schools should be prioritized as well when it comes to funding these kinds of projects.”
According to Cabrera, the gates that are changing are the two middle gates going from the courtyard to the bus lanes; these are the gates that will turn into doors. The AISD website says that secure entrances are important for ensuring all visitors entering the building are checked and where they are supposed to be.
“I feel like it would stop a lot of violence in the school and maybe make it more comforting for people who have fears of those things actually happening,” freshman Reese Wheeler said. “I feel like the gate makes it just easy for people to come in.”
