Student safety in jeopardy

Dear Editor,

I have been actively advocating for student safety at our monthly school board meetings, particularly after a bullying incident involving my kindergarten son on the school bus. 

In response to this event, I reached out to the district to push for the implementation of a bus monitor and assigned seating for students. The current policy places children who breach bus rules at the front of the bus next to younger kids, which unfairly burdens the bus driver with maintaining safety and order on board while driving.  

When I asked about the possibility of assigning seating, the district replied, “We will not be assigning seats as we want to balance safety with a sense of community and independence for all of our students.” This response is concerning, as it seems to place student choice above safety. Other local schools have successfully implemented assigned seating. If the bus is viewed as an extension of the classroom, having assigned seating should be standard practice to maintain order. The Superintendent responded by stating, “The reality is, if we are all on the bus, another adult is not going to stop something from happening.” How can such a statement be justified? While it is true that an adult may not prevent every situation, their presence can help deter and supervise incidents, ensuring our children’s safety. 

I firmly believe in the necessity of securing an SRO for each school and enhancing overall security measures. Currently, the district has just one shared SRO across all five schools. In critical situations, every moment counts and could be the difference between life and death. The district allocates roughly 1% of its $124 million budget to security, which includes one SRO, a security greeter at each school, a part-time guard for middle and high schools, and 57 monitors, including 13 bus monitors for 89 school buses. This information was obtained through a FOIL request, as such expenditures are not transparently listed in the district's budget.

School doors remain unlocked after hours, security protocols are inadequate, and incidents on our buses continue due to insufficient investment in safety. For example, during a recent daytime school event that I attended, guests were asked to check for name badges, yet those not listed were allowed entry without ID verification. How can this be considered safe during school hours? Additionally, high school doors are unlocked during board meetings, with no visible security presence, which is unacceptable.

The district is postponing action while awaiting a security assessment from Altaris this spring. It is crucial to adopt a proactive approach to safety and security. If parents' requests for enhanced safety continue to be overlooked, the consequences for our children could be dire.

-Craig Carroll, South Salem