By: Haya Patel, Staff Reporter
At Ray Braswell High School, the presence of enhanced security cameras, strict access points, and proactive safety programs has created a calm confidence among students, one that stands out compared to nearby campuses like John H. Guyer High School. While both Ray Braswell and John H. Guyer High School have taken steps to enhance campus security, Braswell has gone a step further with advanced surveillance systems, additional resource officers, and the community has focused on prevention and awareness. These efforts come in response to growing concerns about school safety across the Denton district and are shown a lot by Denton ISD to prioritize students’ wellbeing. School officials say the goal is not only to react to threats, but to build a culture of safety and trust, starting with Braswell’s more aggressive safety strategy.
“It’s very concerning, Guyer has been under danger for quite a while, but I like to see them change, but it’s far too little, far too late,” Guyer sophomore Alison Shackelford said.
This next statement was shared by a student who feels that while some protocols exist, they’re not enough to fully address safety concerns.
“I feel like Guyer’s security system is okay, could be better, but could also be worse. I think Guyer focuses more on what’s going on what’s going on inside Guyer, as in they really watch the students to make sure they are in class or not getting into trouble on campus, which is good, but I don’t think they really feel the need to focus a little more on what’s going on outside of Guyer in order to keep the students safe,” Guyer sophomore Presley Bradford said.
As we hear other students talk about how they feel about Guyer, let’s see how Braswell students feel about Braswell.
“It’s ghetto, and we get threats all the time, we use metal detectors. There are always people getting in fights, but overall, it’s not too bad. I feel safe for the most part,” Braswell sophomore Anabelle Poor said.
As concerns over school safety continue to rise, it’s clear that high measures like the ones taken at Braswell are making a difference in how students feel on campus. While Guyer has made some efforts, students think that there is still space for improvement, mostly when it comes to talking about threats outside the school walls. With student voices calling for more attention and action, there is hope that Guyer will follow Braswell’s lead and take part in a stronger campus safety.
