Reporter's Notebook: Tyler Murphy

I simply acted like I was supposed to be there and wondered how far would I get.

My first stop was Norwich High School. I don’t know any of the staff or students and was completely ignorant of the habits and inner workings of the school. I prepared myself to deal with the possibility of the staff being offended and angry by our test. Seeing how I was to take on the role of an individual attempting to violate school procedures either intentionally or unintentionally, I figured a hostile response would be warranted, if not deserved. I walked around to the side of the school and saw that all the doors were shut. No windows were open, either. I shook hands with four outer doors before giving up and walking to the front. I was buzzed in and directly in front of me was the main office with a woman staring at me. The person I came in with stepped up to the window and for a minute I considered my options. I decided just to simply walk down the hall. Not sneak or hurry, just walk as if I was supposed to be there. I walked maybe 20 feet and saw a student. I decided to ask where the cafeteria was, but almost as quickly as the question started to leave my mouth, a teacher who was near came over and directed me back to the office, where my absence had been noticed and seemed to irritate the office personnel. I spoke to the principal, Tom Knapp, after revealing my true intent.

“We have a system that is not fullproof, but nothing is,” said Knapp. Knapp served as a Marine for 12 years and says he understands the need for security. Norwich has two full-time hall monitors and a dean of students who are responsible for student discipline and safety. Each monitor and the Dean of Students has a walkie-talkie and can communicate directly with Knapp almost anytime, anywhere in the school. Norwich also practices regular lockdown drills and has a command center organized to help information move more smoothly, said Knapp. He was pleased with the school’s performance. He was polite and quite open -minded about the whole idea. “You only served to amplify our efforts today,” he said.

My next stop was Otselic Valley High School, and again everything about the school was completely foreign to me. I walked around to the rear doors. They where again closed and locked. I tried a side door, locked. At the main entrance I had to be buzzed in. I rang the bell four times before being let in.