Barrow County School System Superintendent Dr. Dallas LeDuff was previously the associate superintendent of the Oconee County School System, which last year rebuffed parents’ calls to station School Resource Officers (SROs) at its schools.
LeDuff worked for the Oconee County School System during the April 2023 push for it to adopt SROs at its schools, which Oconee County Observations reported occurred during an Oconee County Board of Education meeting.
He appears to have started at Barrow County School System in 2024, shortly before Colt Gray allegedly killed four and injured nine at Apalachee High School last Wednesday.
A recording reveals the April 17, 2023 meeting included testimony from speakers who supported SROs for the county’s schools, including from a citizen who claimed to discuss bringing SROs to Oconee County with LeDuff (pictured above) and Oconee County Sheriff James Hale about the possibility.
“After having conversations with Sheriff Hale and Dr. LeDuff, I have a much better understanding of all of the safety protocols and measures that are currently in place and how closely the Sheriff’s Office works with the schools,” said one woman who spoke in favor of SROs, according to Oconee County Observations.
“However, those measures and protocols are in place as reactive measures to take when an attack occurs,” the woman explained. “I was never given a satisfactory reason as to why we do not have officers at the schools.”
The meeting ultimately ended without the adoption of SROs, and the Oconee County Observer reported later in April 2023 that Hale opposed bringing SROs to the county’s schools.
It also reported LeDuff invited Hale to speak on the topic of school safety in 2022, but that the video streamed by the Board of Education “ended abruptly” before Hale’s remarks, leaving the content of his report to the board unknown.
School Resource Officers in Georgia are specially trained members of law enforcement who are stationed at schools. They perform police activities, maintain student safety, provide security clearance for those entering the buildings, and facilitate safety drills.
The Oconee County School System officially announced it would place SROs in its schools on Monday, five days after the attack at Apalachee High School, according to the school system’s social media. It also revealed that it will consider whether to enter into a permanent agreement to retain SROs next Monday.
“Following the tragic events at Apalachee High School, it is prudent that we collectively review the safety protocols to determine if modifications to any of our practices should be made,” said Superintendent Dr. Jason Branch.
LeDuff previously told The Georgia Star News the Barrow County School System would defer all questions to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) until the conclusion of its investigation into the September 4 attack.
“Barrow County Schools will continue to cooperate with law enforcement to ensure that justice is served for all victims of this cruel and senseless act,” said LeDuff. “Our focus is currently on healing our community and supporting our students during this incredibly difficult time.”
It was reported this week that Marcee Gray, the mother of Colt Gray, called the school to warn of an “extreme emergency” involving her son after an Apalachee High School counselor informed her that Colt Gray referenced school shootings earlier that day.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
