After Oxford school shooting, Michigan district will require clear backpacks for some students
DETROIT — With the holiday break over, some security precautions have been put in place at Oxford Community Schools as students return to classrooms more than a month after the deadly shooting at Oxford High School.
Four students died and six students and a teacher were injured on Nov. 30 when a 15-year-old suspect opened fire at the suburban Detroit school. The suspect was charged with first-degree murder, terrorism and other charges.
As part of new safety protocols, high school and middle school students were provided with clear backpacks Monday to use for the foreseeable future, according to a statement from Superintendent Tim Thorne. Elementary students are not required to use clear backpacks but must keep their belongings in cubbies all day, and are not allowed to carry their backpacks throughout the day.
Middle and elementary students returned to school Monday, which began the winter semester at Oxford Community Schools. The district has yet to announce the high school's reopening.
"We continue to make progress in the reconstruction of Oxford High School and we are working through the enormous number of logistics involved in our safe and soft reopening plan," Thorne said in the statement.
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Additional safety precautions at Oxford schools include: law enforcement and a personal security firm hired by the district onsite at every school building; trauma specialists and therapy dogs in every school building; and Gaggle software to help students manage online safety.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said last month that Oxford school officials have declined her offer to lead an independent review of facts leading up to the shooting. At issue is what the school knew prior to the shooting and whether school officials took reasonable action to prevent the violence.
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