Residents had an opportunity Tuesday to ask questions of the Durango School District 9-R Board of Education about school security – a chance several complained was missing from a similar session last week.
About two dozen people sat in the Escalante Middle School cafetorium with administrators from the school district and four of the five school board members for about 1½ hours to discuss the best ways to keep local schools safe. Much of the presentation about security measures, including building secure entrances and arming retired police officers to patrol each school, mirrored last week’s discussion, said Marianna Valdez, a member of the Board of Education.
But instead of consolidating questions from attendees for a six-person panel through a moderator, anyone at Tuesday’s meeting had an opportunity to speak with the Board of Education.
“People wanted to feel heard,” Valdez said. “The act of being able to ask a question and have it answered is powerful.”
Attendees asked the board whether mental health professionals should be considered to keep schools more safe, what data there are to support guns in schools, how students are protected on school property before or after school and whether the board should take a stance on legislation related to gun safety.
While the board agreed mental health is an important piece of the conversation about safety in schools, it said the focus of Tuesday’s conversation was more on security rather than holistic safety.
Board members also said they had not found research to show that more guns in schools make them safer; in fact, arming staff can make schools more dangerous, said board member Stephanie Moran.
And the Board of Education has passed resolutions in support of legislation. While keeping students safe should be apolitical, Moran recognized politics can become involved.
“We’re not meant to be a political body,” she said.
Board members also considered offering a safe indoor space for students before school so they aren’t outside like “sitting ducks,” as one attendee said. Residents and board members also shared ideas about making supervising faculty before school more visible, including reflective and florescent vests to identify adults in charge.
Sarah Goodpastor said she attended last week’s forum and felt that Tuesday’s meeting “was more collaborative.”
“This was really good compared to last week,” she said.
Valdez said that although Tuesday’s crowd was smaller than the first forum at Durango High School, she felt like people had more of an opportunity to be heard.
“We always appreciate community input,” Valdez said.
bhauff@durangoherald.com
