Teachers and parents, how do you feel about this?
At least two Richland 2 employees have been authorized to carry concealed firearms on school grounds. They are not law-enforcement officers; they are not uniformed. Their employment is not for the purpose of direct security. Uniformed Security personnel of the District are unarmed.
I have sent the following email to board members and the press.
Please show up Tuesday evening for 6:30PM open session. Register before you enter the meeting room and plan to address the Board.
Members of the Board and Trustees-Elect McKie and Holmes,
There was vigorous discussion at the September 24, 2019 board meeting about Policy GBEB and authority requested by the superintendent for him to approve carrying of concealed, loaded firearms on school grounds. Several of you expressed concerns that agreed with my suggestion during public participation that the authority should rest with the Board, not with the superintendent.
As Supt. Davis said at that meeting, he was happy to pass the responsibility on to you.
The Policy revision in the Agenda for the 10/15/19 board meeting has not been changed. The authority would still rest with the superintendent, as proposed by the Administration.
The financial risk to Richland School District 2 is immense, should an employee utilize his firearm, even if later found to be a justified use-of-force. Please consider the liability for injury or death of a student, teacher, staff member, vendor or visitor. There needs to be a complete Board Policy addressing such possession and carrying of a firearm on school grounds.
I request that the Board claim the responsibility for approval.
Further, I request that Richland 2 rescind approvals that are in effect now for certain employees to carry, until the Board can thoroughly consider and approve a good policy.
