New security has taken a toll on the students at Shawnee Mission South, especially during lunch. The Shawnee Mission School District has taken new security measures in order to keep elementary, middle and high school students safe.

Due to recent school shootings around the country, the school district thinks security needs to be cleaned up and improved. There are now cameras installed on every door at Shawnee Mission South and a security guard who will take post at the entrance of the school.

When entering SMS, non students and staff must get their driver’s license scanned to check whether they are a registered sex offender, have a restraining order, are a predator, or have protection from police orders. If the license goes through, visitors will receive a sticker with their picture on it and after that they can enter the school.

According to the new front campus security officer, Greg Merchant, “It really won’t effect the students, only parents and visitors who are trying to enter the school.”

But, there are new security measures being taken at lunch where many high schoolers enter and leave the building this hour every day, whether it’s being a senior and having open lunch or a freshmen eating out in the courtyard.  Some seniors are concerned by the security they will have to go through to leave the school during open lunch.

“If it takes 10 minutes to get out of school, I’m not going to have time to leave if we only have 25 minutes,” senior Michael Castellon said.

Other students who eat out in the courtyard might feel trapped, because all the surrounding doors were locked — until recently.

According to the officers,  they have implemented some of those changes, so people do not feel trapped.

The officers have started to keep auditorium doors unlocked now so people can get in. Someone thought the partitions looked “prison-like” so they changed it, but students can still be concerned about the new changes.

Others are not concerned with their safety outside at all.

“Yes, there’s always a police officer out there so it’s pretty good security, I am never worried,” freshman Marley Jungles said.

Whether one is worried or not about the new security changes at Shawnee Mission South, it affects everyone. Some seniors might be concerned about their lunchtime while others could feel vulnerable outside open to the parking lot.

But in the end, these little feelings about certain safety precautions will fade if the security can prevent any dangers to the students or staff.