by Renee Murphy

Five local attorneys are raising serious concerns about the safety of your kids in Jefferson County Public Schools. Should the next step to protect them be metal detectors?

They say yes and sent the superintendent a letter advocating for the devices at middle and high schools.

“If JCPS is going to look the parents of children they serve in this community and say we can't afford it, you do that, but then it's on you when the body bags are coming out of the schools,” attorney Scott Drabenstadt said.

“We’ve got to find solutions to keep people safe. We just have to do it,” attorney Felicia Nu’Man said.

They believe metal detectors at middle and high schools in Jefferson County Public Schools are the next step in safety and security.

“Do we go to a situation where a child is carried out in a body bag or do we be proactive about it and stop the situation before it gets out of hand,” attorney Nick Mudd said.

“Kids haven't even gotten their grades yet and we've had all these incidents of guns,” Drabenstadt said.

These attorneys wrote this letter to school Superintendent Donna Hargens advocating for metal detectors.

“This is a demand letter for several things. We want to get a dialog going, number 2 we want some answers from JCPS,” Drabenstadt said.

They mention recent incidents of students bringing guns to school at Noe, Atherton, Iroquois and Western this school year.

The letter says "this imminent danger to the children in our schools is preventable."

“We can't expect the kids to be the adults in this situation. We want kids to be safe. If this will let the kids be safe, it may be a little inconvenient for people that's not the important part here,” attorney Shannon Fauver said.

A spokesperson for JCPS released this statement tonight about the letter…"The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. We received the letter today, and we are currently reviewing it."

The attorneys say the cost for metal detectors would have to be shared by the community.

“JCPS didn't get us here. It's not their fault but I don't think it's incumbent upon, I think the community is going to have to come together to provide the appropriate solution,” said Robert Bornstein.

The attorneys will bring their concerns before the school board at Tuesday’s meeting.