From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — Dr. Lisa Herring, who is the superintendent of the Birmingham City Schools, held a press conference where she commented on the recent shooting incident that took place at Huffman High School yesterday where two were injured and a female student died enroute to UAB Hospital.
The female was identified as Courtlin Arrington, 17. According to Herring, she was part of the graduating class of 2018 and had already been accepted into college where she would have studied to be a nurse.
At one point, Herring became emotional as she spoke of Arrington during the press conference.
“We are not removed from the fact that Courtlin…” she paused and seemed to tear up. “Our aspiring nurse is no longer with us.”
She also described her as “one of our best and brightest”.
Herring outlined steps that BCS is taking with the police department to prevent potential violence in the future. She said that officers will be present on campus at Huffman High to provide security and stressed that access points in schools must be watched at all times.
According to her, metal detectors at Huffman High were not in use.
“I cannot empathize enough as [BCS] superintendent that we will be evaluating protocols to identify every single opportunity for improvement.”
She said that a phone line to make anonymous calls to the Birmingham police will be given out to students. The number of the line is 1-877-250-2830.
Herring said that during National School Walkout on March 14, BCS will honor the 17 students killed in the Parkland, Fl shooting recently. She said that BCS will include Arrington among those that it will honor.
“These are uncertain times in our schools,” Herring stated about the violence and threats of violence at schools. “Schools have become a place where people make decisions that target the lives of students who come to school to seek an education.”