Schools

Security Plans Established for Santorum Visit

Officials from the Grosse Pointe Public School System and Grosse Pointe Farms Department of Public Safety have established a security plan for the upcoming visit by Rick Santorum at Grosse Pointe South High School.

Grosse Pointe South High School will essentially be on a heightened level of security beginning Tuesday in preparation for the visit by Rick Santorum Wednesday, who will adress students about leadership and service, Grosse Pointe Farms Departemnt of Public Safety Director Dan Jensen said Friday.

Officials from the school district and Jensen met this week to discuss the upcoming visit. Jensen said the gymnasium will undergo heavy scrutiny with a K9 search early Wednesday. The area will then be secured in prepartion for Santorum's arrival for the 12:45 p.m. assembly.

Two officers will be stationed in the building close to the gymnasium simply as a way to keep the department informed about what's happening inside the building, Jensen said.

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Meanwhie, officers will be patroling the area outside to ensure order, Jensen said, explaining reserve officers are being used to help. About 12 to 13 reserve officers are being called in to help, he said.

He also said protests, if any, will be allowed as long as participants follow the laws by staying on the sidewalk and do not impede traffic.

Find out what's happening in Grosse Pointewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Jensen is unsure of exactly what to expect Wednesday. This is the first time the Farms police have been involved in security related to a speaker at the school, he said.

The circumstances of Santorum's visit including, the perceived handling of it by the public, Santorum's strong political views and the reactions such positions elicit from people generally are all factors in play, Jensen said.

Santorum's visit has netted national attention after the assembly was canceled last week abruptly one day and then the following it was reinstated with an "opt-in" option, meaning parents have to sign a permission slip allowing their student to attend.

The handling has drawn criticism from the public, including a small concentrated group of parents of students involved in .

Among the concerns:

  • the speech should have been scheduled for after school hours rather than during instructional time
  • the speech should have been set up as an opt-out event, which is the standard for assemblies
  • the need to allow diverse speakers to enhance educational experiences


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