EAST HAMPTON, Conn. — East Hampton middle and elementary schools will now have armed security guards following a vote by the Board of Education.
East Hampton High School has had an armed security guard since 2019. The vote by the board Monday night now extends it to other schools.
The vote was a unanimous decision by the school board. Guards will now be at Memorial School, Center School, and East Hampton Middle School.
RELATED: Survey reveals 2/3 of responding Connecticut schools have security officers, but most are not armed
A handful of other school districts around the state are upping their school police presence in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas school shooting.
At the meeting, East Hampton Superintendent Paul Smith shared a survey that said 81% of parents and 73% of staff supported adding armed guards.
The board said they are investing in other mental health programs, including mental health clinics, and looking into Sandy Hook Promise's "Say Something" campaign.
With the board's budget already set in stone, they are asking the town to help pay for the cost of the guards, which comes out to about $150,000.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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