Secretaries vs. Security: Who Should Guard School Entrances?

Have you ever wondered who should monitor visitors at schools? Some secretaries in Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 are saying it's not their job. Instead, they think security personnel should handle it. But the district disagrees. The issue surfaced at a recent board meeting. Linda Unda, the union president, voiced concerns. She believes the support staff should focus on their main duties, not sit in detached security vestibules. In some schools, visitors enter a vestibule first, then a second set of doors. Support staff greet and screen them there. In others, visitors go straight to the main office.

The union filed a complaint, arguing that changes were made without fair negotiations. Superintendent Theresa Plascencia thinks most staff are fine with the setup. She says it's part of the secretaries' job to greet parents. But Unda worries that this setup reduces their interaction with parents and makes their jobs harder. She sees it as a safety issue and thinks security personnel should do it instead. The union says the change started without their agreement. They've been pushing for talks, but feel ignored. Plascencia insists they're negotiating in good faith. It's a tricky situation. Who do you think should manage school entrances?

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