There's a foreboding quality behind the veneer of a shiny new West Michigan high school. It was designed with a shooter in mind.
Fruitport High, near Grand Haven, has a number of subtle protective features to help students and staff more easily identify a potential shooter and buy time in the event of a shooting, The Detroit News reports. They including curved hallways to limit sight lines, protective "wing walls" that can shield up to 30 students and staff, impact-resistant windows and fire doors that lock with a smartphone.
But subtle means subtle, says Superintendent Bob Szymoniak:
"We didn’t do anything that makes it look like a security measure. We don’t want the kids to think about it when they are in the building. We want them to think they are in a really cool learning environment,” Szymoniak said.
The News quotes experts as saying most new K-12 schools are built to prioritize security.
Fruitport high was paid for by a voter-approved bond and a $400,000 Michigan State Police grant. It's unclear how much was spent on the security features specifically.
Part of the building opened this month. Construction will be complete next year.
