Greg Gilmore, Brad Miller, and Marcus Gatlin are sometimes the first faces children see when they arrive at McComb High School.
The three men, who serve on the school’s security-related support staff, see the many problems students face and consider themselves the shield between students and anything that harms or prevents them from learning.
“People have to cross us to get to our students. We’re the first to take a bullet. If it’s a shooter we’re going to be in the building. If it’s a fire, we’re going to run into the building trying to put it out. We’re on the forefront,” Gatlin said.
The men have built a bond with the students and staff in the district that allows them to be open with them.
“We have the best relationship with our students. They come to us, and they will tell us when things are going on. ‘Hey, this person may have a gun,’ or ‘Hey, this person has drugs on campus,’ ” Gatlin said.
He said people want to feel safe and secure, and the support team works to ensure that for students.
“Education and safety go hand in hand. When they feel safe, they can learn better, and it’s less stress for them,” Gatlin said.
“They can focus on their schoolwork more, and the teachers can engage their classrooms more when they know they’re safe,” Miller added.
Five days into the school year, a freshman student called in a bomb threat in an incident that turned out to be a prank, but was taken more seriously at the time.
Gatlin said principal Robert Lamkin “made sure all the doors were unlocked, and we made sure the area was safe and secure.”
The call came in around 9 a.m. and the student who made the call was located around 10:50.
The student was taken to the Adams County Juvenile Detention Center and charged with false reporting of a bomb or explosive device of mass destruction and disturbance of a school session.
“It’s a serious felony. You’re doing it just for laughs, but you’re going to be arrested. We have rules against anyone doing that. I wouldn’t suggest it,” Gatlin said.
The men said they help students deal with problems at home as well as those they may face at school.
“They tell us about them being harassed at home, different situations they go through at home. They tell us if a person has guns or drugs. They give us all the information that we need,” Gatlin said.
The biggest issue is cyberbullying.
“It’s the worst with juveniles,” Gatlin said. “They’ll send a picture of themselves to their boyfriends, and then they break up, and he shows it to all of his friends.”
“They become depressed,” Miller said.
They also see arguments develop on social media that lead to physical altercations.
“They’ll get into it at school, and it carries on when they get home. We have students come to us and show us the whole thread. ‘Hey, this person harassing me,’ or, ‘Hey, they talking about fighting after school,’ ” Miller said.
He said once the team finds out about it, it’s immediately de-escalated.
“We’ve stopped countless fights just by intervening,” Miller said.
Gatlin said officials also make sure students arrive at school and return home safely.
“We’ve had to deal with irate parents getting on the bus and going off to the bus driver or students. We have to deal with cars riding around watching our students as they walk home,” he said.
Gatlin said they don’t only protect at school. They’ll also visit students at home.
“We’ll go sit on the porch with them and talk to them and their families. They see us in their communities,” Gilmore said.
He said the school also has a program in which law enforcement officers can come and have lunch with the students.
“We don’t have much come, but we want them to create a bond with our students so when they see them out, they’ll know them,” he said.
Gatlin and Miller have some advice if a parent is dealing with this issue.
“Talk to your children, have an open relationship with them. There are a lot of things going on, and a lot of parents don’t know about it,” Miller said. “Just listen, sometimes a child just needs to be heard. Just let them talk.”
“Don’t put all of your information on social media and don’t put any pictures out you wouldn’t want anyone to see,” Gatlin added.
