Letters
Are District 15 High Schools safe?
Published on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 by Dave SittauerRead More Letters
Editor:
The answer is not anymore.
Starting in 2011, our four local high schools will no longer have the security of an on- campus police officer.
Superintendent Nick Brossoit has decided that $50,000 per school is too high of price to pay.
At Edmonds-Woodway High School alone over the last 6 years, 628 police reports were generated by the School Resource Officer (SRO).
These reports are used in criminal cases. Each year the School Resource Officer (SRO) at EWHS makes thousands of contacts with students and parents on various issues.
The SRO not only is there for security, but also as a councilor for troubled students and families.
I have 7 children who have all gone through local high schools, and they all say the SRO made a huge difference.
If not for the SRO, rates of drug use, bulling, gangs, and in some cases rape would be much higher. “School would be a scary place to be without the SRO”.
Emergency calls at the school will now be dispatched through our 911 system which will be handled by Edmonds, Lynnwood, and Mountlake Terrace patrol units.
So not only does the risk of crime on campuses increase, but now it will take longer for the officer to get to the scene and determine who he or she is dealing with.
The SRO unusually already knows who the bad person is.
Can our students afford this extra time before help arrives?
This comes during a period when we have seen a nationwide rising trend of school shootings.
Our city and schools are not exempt from crime and bad people. Nor should we forget the safety of the teachers and administration staff.
Do we need or want to have our teachers armed with guns? I don’t think that is in the job description and I’m sure that wasn’t part of their college curriculum!
Please contact the school board if you feel these officers should not be just another line item to be axed by school cutbacks.
"mailto:BrossoitN@edmonds.wednet.edu" BrossoitN@edmonds.wednet.edu Superintendent "mailto:PhillipsS@edmonds.wednet.edu" PhillipsS@edmonds.wednet.edu Board Pres.
Dave Sittauer
The answer is not anymore.
Starting in 2011, our four local high schools will no longer have the security of an on- campus police officer.
Superintendent Nick Brossoit has decided that $50,000 per school is too high of price to pay.
At Edmonds-Woodway High School alone over the last 6 years, 628 police reports were generated by the School Resource Officer (SRO).
These reports are used in criminal cases. Each year the School Resource Officer (SRO) at EWHS makes thousands of contacts with students and parents on various issues.
The SRO not only is there for security, but also as a councilor for troubled students and families.
I have 7 children who have all gone through local high schools, and they all say the SRO made a huge difference.
If not for the SRO, rates of drug use, bulling, gangs, and in some cases rape would be much higher. “School would be a scary place to be without the SRO”.
Emergency calls at the school will now be dispatched through our 911 system which will be handled by Edmonds, Lynnwood, and Mountlake Terrace patrol units.
So not only does the risk of crime on campuses increase, but now it will take longer for the officer to get to the scene and determine who he or she is dealing with.
The SRO unusually already knows who the bad person is.
Can our students afford this extra time before help arrives?
This comes during a period when we have seen a nationwide rising trend of school shootings.
Our city and schools are not exempt from crime and bad people. Nor should we forget the safety of the teachers and administration staff.
Do we need or want to have our teachers armed with guns? I don’t think that is in the job description and I’m sure that wasn’t part of their college curriculum!
Please contact the school board if you feel these officers should not be just another line item to be axed by school cutbacks.
"mailto:BrossoitN@edmonds.wednet.edu" BrossoitN@edmonds.wednet.edu Superintendent "mailto:PhillipsS@edmonds.wednet.edu" PhillipsS@edmonds.wednet.edu Board Pres.
Dave Sittauer