District to spend $26 million on security upgrades at Las Vegas high school where teacher was assaulted

The Clark County (Nev.) district will spend $26.3 million for security upgrades at Eldorado High School in Las Vegas after a teacher was beaten and sexually assaulted by a student in April.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the upgrades will include fencing around the perimeter of the school, construction of a single point of entry, additional security cameras and the installation of an instant alert system.

In approving the improvements as an emergency action, the school board made note of the recent school violence at Eldorado, as well as nationwide.

The Eldorado teacher was attacked April 7, the day before classes let out for spring break. Jonathan Eluterio Martinez Garcia, 16, was arrested and faces charges that include attempted murder, sexual assault, kidnapping and burglary.

The district did not provide details about when the upgrades at Eldorado would be completed. The school was built in 1972 and has received $50.3 million in facility upgrades over the years.

Kamilah Bywaters, president of the Las Vegas Alliance of Black School Educators, questioned the funds being allocated for Eldorado, calling it unfortunate that the district would spend so much on just one school.

“Did we think about the impact that increasing safety measures for one school would have on the rest of our community and students?” Bywaters asked.