By Adam Pagnucco.
Few MCPS schools have been in the news for unfortunate reasons more than John F. Kennedy High School. Just in the last two years, the school has been the subject of media reports on a mass brawl, epic truancy, a trespasser with a knife, a “gun-involved incident” and a gun-related lockdown.
John F. Kennedy High School. Photo credit: MCPS.
In June 2024, MCPS’s Office of Systemwide Safety & Emergency Management conducted a Safety and Security Assessment at Kennedy HS. Its results were not released to the general public. The assessment included this summary of issues at the school.
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1. Student Code of Conduct
a. During the assessment, staff that were interviewed shared their ongoing observations of the inconsistent use of the Student Code of Conduct to establish accountability among students. While conducting the second half of the site assessment on 6/13/24, several students were found attempting to skip classes and leave the school premises without valid reasons. Security personnel had to repeatedly inform these students to return to their classes. Furthermore, the security staff advise that they no longer deem it necessary to bring students in violation to the office because there are no consequences. Staff also advise that students are immediately released back into the hallway to continue their behaviors. It was also observed that a number of students were in the wrong classrooms and hiding in bathrooms.
b. During the site assessment, very strong odors of marijuana and other possible drugs were evident in many unsecured areas of the school which include stairwells, loading docks, boiler rooms, etc. This lends itself to concerns involving drug use and exchanges that may be occurring on the school premises. Furthermore, there is concern to the well-being of staff and students having unintended respiratory exposure to drug use.
c. This lack of adherence to the Student Code of Conduct poses a significant risk to the safety and security of the school.
2. Inadequate Staffing
a. It was observed that the current security staff may not be sufficient to handle the security challenges faced by the school. The number of students trying to leave the school premises without proper authorization requires a higher level of staffing to effectively monitor and enforce security protocols. This increase in staffing will also support other critical incidents that may include trespassing, fights, drug use, etc. Additionally, the increase in staffing will also provide better security coverage to support the square footage of the school.
3. Security Infrastructure
a. Another concern that came to light during the assessment is the state of security infrastructure. Some of the existing cameras need replacement in addition to adding cameras to several unsecured areas. Moreover, a number of ACS Card readers are necessary to eliminate issues of accessing rooms by security staff in the absence of available keys. Upgrading these systems will enhance the overall security measures and provide better monitoring capabilities.
4. Culture of Safety and Security
a. Concerns were raised by staff regarding the overall culture of safety, stating that there is a laxed approach to concerns based on practices. Furthermore, it was stated that reactive approaches to incidents are taken versus being proactive to assist with mitigating critical incidents. During the assessment, it was observed that a number of doors were left unlocked by various staff, inclusive of maintenance. Additionally, it was also observed that a side entrance of the school was left propped open for a period of 45 minutes by which students were able to enter and exit the door. As part of rounds, it was stated that security regularly checks doors to ensure that they are secure, however the doors are eventually left unlocked or propped again after securing.
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Another document contains details – including pictures – of security issues at the school. I will not be publishing this information in raw form as it would help anyone interested in exploiting the school’s vulnerabilities. However, the following redacted statements illustrate that MCPS understood exactly what was happening at the school.
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[Redacted] needs a camera- hangout area for students smoking weed. [Redacted]- fire alarm magnet not properly installed and ineffective in the event of a fire. [Redacted] is a huge meeting point for drug dealers.No cameras at [redacted]. Many fights occur here.
Behind [redacted]- open concealed area to sell drugs.
[Redacted] This area used for drug use and sales.The trees just outside [redacted] cover up drug deals. Trees need to be removed.
[Redacted] Kids using fentanyl in this area last year. [Redacted]- restrooms cannot be unlocked because toilet flushing causes a sewage back up that floods the hallways and then the classrooms need to be moved.*****
MCPS estimated the cost of addressing the security issues at $400,000. I asked MCPS whether the district had completed its list of security improvements at Kennedy HS and whether it had conducted similar assessments at other schools. I also asked about the costs found in any other assessments. Following is MCPS’s response.
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To support safety and security at John F. Kennedy High School, we are implementing the following security enhancements:
- 52 new security cameras and 16 Automatic Card System (ACS) readers will be installed in March 2025.
- Installation of vape sensors in all student restrooms began in February 2025 and is expected to be completed by April 2025.
- Supplemental temporary part-time security staff have been assigned and will remain in place until June 2025.
The total investment for cameras, ACS readers and staffing is $400,000, excluding the vape sensor installation, which is funded separately.
Beyond these specific actions, we are actively addressing other areas of improvement highlighted in the report. This includes:
- Reinforcing student identification protocols at school entrances.
- Refining security practices based on the review’s findings.
- Strengthening oversight of the Kennedy security team by the Department of Safety and Security and Emergency Management, with a focus on ongoing training and elevated performance standards.
- Enhancing the Student Well-being team’s approach to supporting students involved with drugs, providing family resources, and fostering connections with the wellness center.
We will revisit the report as part of the ongoing work to support the school. There are regular annual safety checkups across our schools and a summer safety checkup will also allow us the opportunity to assess additional issues with this specific school.
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Note that while the assessment was conducted in June 2024, the specific dates pertaining to the security measures discussed above included February, March and April of this year. During the intervening time, two gun-related incidents occurred.
Also, MCPS’s response did not address my questions about security assessments at other schools.