Baltimore teachers will be able to lock classroom doors from inside rooms rather than from the outside, Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises said Tuesday night as she announced plans to install new locks on thousands of classroom doors and office spaces.

“We’ve heard from teachers, we’ve heard from BTU (Baltimore Teachers Union), we’ve heard from school leaders, and we know that the safety of school staff and students is really our priority,” Santelises said at the school board meeting.

According to the CEO, most doors in the city require staff to go into the hallway to lock the door from the outside. He said it was a security risk. Staff have expressed concerns about this issue in previous meetings.

He said 7,600 classroom doors and “critical” office areas will now have new intruder locks that will allow staff to lock the door from inside the classroom, minimizing exposure to potential intruders.

Santelises said it’s a major project that will cost about $50 million. Most installments will involve replacing doors and door frames. He said high schools will be a top priority because data shows those buildings experience the most security incidents.

Since the project has a large price tag, funds for existing projects will need to be reprioritized, according to Santelises. City schools did not immediately respond to a question about when lock installations would begin.

Security updates remain top of mind for school staff, parents and students, especially 15-year-old Warren Curtis Grant He was fatally shot Sept. 6 at Joppatowne High School in Harford County. That school has since new cabinets installed So students do not carry backpacks with them.

Baltimore County artificial intelligence wolf weapon detection system Preliminary discussions have begun with principals about a clear backpack policy in all schools. Baltimore City also uses an artificial intelligence system called Evolv to identify possible weapons. He identified some of the 20 guns found on campuses last school year.

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