Victim's Mother Criticizes Barrow County's Funding Shift for School Safety Officers Post-Apalachee High Shooting

In a recent school board meeting, Breanna Schermerhorn, whose son Mason was one of the victims in the Apalachee High School shooting, expressed her disapproval of Barrow County Commission's decision to shift the cost burden of school resource officers (SROs) onto the school system; she conveyed an impassioned argument that likened the necessity of SROs to that of fire services, highlighting their importance to community safety, FOX5 Atlanta reported.

"As a grieving parent, the board of commissioners’ decision feels utterly disrespectful and tone deaf," Schermerhorn said, pointing out the critical role that SROs played during the tragic event on September 4, 2024, as they were the responders who ended the threat, not a policy, not a press release, her statements accentuated the role of resource officers as part of the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, asserting their post-certification duties extend across the community and are not limited to the schools they are assigned to. The Barrow County Board of Commissioners, meanwhile, cited a new senior school tax exemption as the cause for the funding shift, necessitating the school board to allot approximately $2 million only for salaries and benefits of the district’s 24 SROs, while still negotiating on covering indirect costs such as equipment and uniforms, per WSB-TV.

Amidst her critique, Schermerhorn praised the local school district for maintaining an open dialogue on safety issues which is in stark contrast to the commissioners' approach, during a period that has not only been marred by the tragedy but also starred by efforts led by Kelcie Zimmer, who is tasked with orchestrating the school's recovery, including organizing community events, overseeing mental health resources, and planning memorials for the victims, all while J-Hall, the location of the shooting, remains closed for the current school year.

Zimmer plans to continue her work, laying the groundwork for a resiliency center and introducing a program aimed at supporting staff, moving forward the school district is promoting discussions on whether to rebuild or memorialize the impacted areas it's an initiative that runs alongside plans arranged with the City of Winder to hold a vigil on the upcoming first anniversary of the tragedy, "It is super important to us that it be done in a meaningful way and not in a rushed way," Zimmer explained, a sentiment echoed by Schermerhorn, who applauded the district's willingness to consider community opinion and involvement according to WSB-TV.

At the conclusion of her remarks, Schermerhorn received support from the audience, signaling a community united by loss and resilience; as for the potential reversal of the county's stance on SRO funding, County spokesperson Brian Stewart indicated that the current and next school year funding decisions are set, with changes only possible through new contract negotiations for the 2027-2028 school year, WSB-TV relayed.