Scott County Superintendent introduces new security plan one week after child abducted on playground

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - One week after a second-grade child was abducted from a Scott County elementary school playground, the district’s superintendent publicly outlined his new security.

Scott County Schools District 1 Superintendent Trevor Jones laid out his six-part plan at the first Scott County School Board meeting since the incident.

Jones’ plan includes:

1) Forcing the school resource officer to have an increased presence on the playground and actively monitor the perimeter,

2) Utilizing one playground at a time,

3) Assigning additional personnel to supervise the perimeter,

4) Raising the height of the playground fences,

5) Allowing students to have indoor recess options available, and

6) providing further programming for students and staff regarding personal safety throughout the rest of the year.

Jones said the district’s plan was finalized after several conversations with local and statewide school leaders, local law enforcement and Scott County Sheriff Jerry Goodin.

“There was a failure,” Jones said. “We had a student abducted at our school. And that’s something that we can’t tolerate and we have to address that. And it’s a shame that this individual has caused us such a disruption for our kids, caused such a disruption for our community, caused such a disruption for our students and staff.”

After detailing his plan, Jones opened the floor for questions.

At that point, only one parent spoke her mind.

“Why aren’t the teachers that were on the playground being held accountable for what happened,” Brenda Mize asked.

“Well, we can’t talk about personnel matters in an open meeting, okay,” Jones said. “There is an ongoing internal investigation into how and why this happened, so I can’t go beyond that.”

After the meeting, Mize told reporters she did not feel the district’s response was adequate and reiterated her question as to why the teachers were not held accountable.

Still, Jones believes the plan is sound and he is ready to implement it later in the week.

“It’s very disappointing, as I said earlier last week, that our kids feel afraid to go out and play during recess,” Jones told reporters after the board meeting. “So, we’re going to address that and make sure that they feel safe, that they are safe, that they are secure and they can return back to what they need to do to learn at Austin Elementary.”

Jones told parents during the meeting the work to raise the fence’s height could begin, if all goes according to plan, by week’s end.

Earlier Monday, the woman accused of walking off with the child was arrested again and charged with domestic battery.

Brittany Hurtt is being held in the Scott County Jail on $20,000 bond.

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