At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, Medea Creek Middle School Principal Gia Jantz began collaborating with retired Ventura County Commander Randy Pentis to create and enforce new safety measures on campus. These security measures were made to create a safer environment on campus and allow students to maximize their learning.  

It became mandatory during the first quarter of the school year for all school and classroom doors to be locked during the day. These security measures have had varying impacts on students and faculty members. Many support the new additions, while others disagree with the changes. 

“It presents a challenge having the doors locked all the time because students can’t access the classroom as easily, but I understand the need for it and as soon as we get devices that make it easier for the students to come in and out of class with the doors locked, that’ll be better,” said Steve White, English and ASB teacher. 

Students have also responded, saying that the updates have had a negative impact. They have disrupted classes, distracted students and decreased focus on tests and quizzes. 

“I think that yes, sometimes it does disrupt my learning, and it’s just not very convenient. I’ve also heard that lots of teachers don’t appreciate it either,” said 8th grader Maeve Homsley. 

Jantz also touched on the subject, voicing her opinion on the safety changes and why they were made. She explained how more security updates will continue to be made and become more effective.

“Adults are always making sure that everyone is safe. You can’t really learn unless you feel safe. And that’s physically, emotionally—that’s in all different ways. So we try to work on the back end to make sure that everybody feels safe when they’re here,” says Jantz, “and be proactive instead of reactive in situations like this.”

Despite mixed opinions on the updates, staff members and students recognize why they were made, which was to maximize safety and create a more welcoming environment at Medea.  

“We hope that it does impact them for the positive. And that people feel safe and that they know what to do. It’s important to obviously prevent things like that,” said Jantz, “and we do it here by making sure there’s no bullying, you see something, you say something. We try to do preventative measures, but it’s really also that all of us are prepared.”