A mother in northern Florida is paying $12,000 to hire an armed security guard for her child's school, amid anxiety over school safety after the shooting in Newton, Conn. last month.
"Laura Lauria has paid the Flagler County School District upfront for the cost of a deputy to staff Old Kings Elementary for about two months starting Jan. 14," wrote the Dayton Beach News-Journal.
"I don't know how you say no to such a wonderful gesture," said School Superintendent Janet Valentine.
The police department already patrols middle school and high schools in the county but not elementary schools, though they say they would like to.
"Since the shooting that left 26 children and staff members dead at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., Flagler officials have floated the idea of hiring deputies to patrol the county's elementary schools but say the cost may be prohibitive," wrote the News-Journal.
"We really have had an outcry from the community that they would like to see deputies at all the schools and understandably so," Valentine said.
Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre said he appreciates the gesture, but he thinks full-time deputies stationed in schools provides better security. "Nothing is as adequate as having a full-time school resource officer who knows the school, knows the children, knows the building, knows the parents," Manfre said. "That's the best way to provide security at the school."
Lauria couldn't be reached for comment, but the school system is grateful.
"I think sometimes that's what has to happen -- the community needs to step forward and she has," Valentine said. "We're so fortunate that she's done that."
Earlier this month, a newly-hired guard at a charter school in Michigan left an unloaded gun in a school bathroom. No one was injured and no charges are being pressed in the incident.