Rockford schools to update classroom door locks

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — The Rockford School District is changing the way they secure classrooms so that teachers can lock doors from the inside starting this fall.

The Rockford Register Star reports (http://bit.ly/10CXHG1) that most of the district's classroom doors can't be locked from the inside. That means that teachers can't "lock down" when the school is on lock down. That could protect teachers and students by keeping them locked in their classrooms.

The district plans to put a large lock installation job out to bid to update classroom doors.

District Chief Operating Officer Todd Schmidt says parents and teachers have been concerned about the locks for about two years. He says about 1,700 doors will have to be replaced. Officials say they have set aside about $1 million to pay for the project.

___

Information from: Rockford Register Star, http://www.rrstar.com