Fairfax County Public Schools is planning to hire a bodyguard for Superintendent Michelle Reid, a move the Virginia school district said is necessary to bolster security in response to recent “highly publicized tragic events around the country.”
The job posting, for a role called “executive protection agent,” closed this week. The role falls under the Office of the Chief Safety and Security Officer.
The job includes a 260-day work schedule, and stated responsibilities include ensuring “the personal safety, security and operational continuity of the division superintendent across school campuses, public events, official travel, and private residences.”
It could pay over $140,000, depending on experience. The role requires five years of related experience.
In response to a request to interview Reid about the need for the extra security, a school system spokeswoman shared a statement that said the district prioritizes safety and the “highly publicized tragic events around the country over the last several months illustrate the need to intensify and enhance security protocols at all organizations.”
A school district source, who asked not to be named to openly discuss sensitive information, said Reid has received credible threats.
Fairfax County police said in 2022, it created a Threat Assessment Management unit in response to a rise in written and other communications targeting high profile people and institutions.
“While FCPD does not comment on specific investigations or court proceedings, we have reviewed such communications regarding Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid and other high-profile elected and appointed persons and will continue to do so to ensure the safety of community leadership and the constituencies they serve,” the department said.
She drives her personal car, the source said, and is usually on three to five school campuses every day during the academic year.
Hiring for the role, the division said, will “streamline and consolidate other evolving security efforts,” including implementing a new emergency response system and weapons screening technology.
Lara Wade, a spokeswoman for the School Superintendents Association, said the organization doesn’t track how many superintendents across the country have personal protection.
LaTanya McDade, superintendent in Prince William County, the state’s second-largest school system, doesn’t have personal security protection, a spokeswoman told WTOP.
Critics of Fairfax County Public Schools’ decision to hire a bodyguard for Reid questioned whether it’s the best use of taxpayer funds. The school system, meanwhile, said the approach “formalizes existing responsibility for elevating levels of protection division-wide, including security for the superintendent and others who attend school-related activities.”
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