Different Approach - Letter to School District "Protect My Children"

[DHC]

I decided to take a different approach with my letter writing. What follows is my letter to the Cherry Creek School District Superintendent:


Ms. Mary Chesley
Superintendent
Cherry Creek School District
4700 South Yosemite St.
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

February 1, 2013

Subject: Security of my Children While in the Care of Cherry Creek Schools

Ms. Chesley,

Based on recent happenings both in Colorado and elsewhere, I have become convinced that the security provisions by the Cherry Creek School District are inadequate to provide for the safety and security for my three (3) children entrusted to CCSD each day. In fact, I believe the lack of armed and trained personnel in sufficient number to effectively respond to an attack on Cherry Creek Schools specifically exposes my children to being targeted by those seeking ‘soft targets.’

I noted with great interest that you met with law enforcement officials from Greenwood Village, Aurora, Cherry Hills Village and Arapahoe County on January 22, 2013. My letter is copied to each of those representatives as well. While acknowledging the good intent of all concerned, the simple facts are that law enforcement agencies have no legal duty to provide protective services, even of our children (reference to DeShaney vs Winnebago County and to Rivera vs City of Providence).

Recognizing that CCSD works within a framework of statutory compliance, such compliance cannot be an impediment to the common sense need to adequately protect our children. Such protections are not in-place today. CCSD’s ‘voice’ should be heard by the legislature insofar as future changes in legislation are concerned, but the safety of my children cannot wait for the legislative and political processes to address these issues. Steps need to be taken NOW.

With, or without, statutory authority, I urge CCSD to authorize teachers and staff to be allowed to carry firearms on campus, contingent on completion of adequate initial and ongoing firearm training. While a bold action by the District, nothing less offers a sufficiently broad and rapid ability to effectively respond to the sorts of threats seen in recent attacks. This approach seems to have worked well for some school districts in Texas and for our neighboring state of Utah, at least.

Mine is not an ill-informed or under-informed plea for CCSD to take action. Mine is a call for CCSD to take the bold actions necessary to provide for effective protection of my children, their classmates, their teachers and school administrators.

Sincerely,



xxxxxxxxxxxx

Cc:
Dan Oates, City of Aurora Chief of Police
Michelle Tovrea, Cherry Hills Village Police Chief
John A. Jackson, Greenwood Village Police Chief
Glenn Thompson, Patrol Command Captain Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office


I expect my letter to fall on deaf ears - but it was important to send it anyway. I wonder what effect it might have if only a few district superintendents took the bold step taken by the superintendent in Texas and authorized armed teachers on campus (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/12/20/texas-town-teachers-guns/1781663/). The obvious difference being that Texas law allowed a school district to make such authorization whereas it is not allowed under current Colorado law. Still, the simple fact remains that our children are not safe while at school and the local LE's are never going to be able to keep them safe. Parents should be demanding their school districts to 'step up' and insure safety - and do it NOW.

FWIW

[vossman]

Well written. Let us know if you get a reply.

[Bailey Guns]

No way, dude. Guns are scary.

But a good letter anyway.

[Bailey Guns]

After some thought and a review of 18-12-214, it seems the legal aspect would be easy to get around:


18-12-214 (3)(b)

(b) A permittee who is employed or retained by contract by a school district as a school security officer may carry a concealed handgun onto the real property, or into any improvement erected thereon, of a public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school while the permittee is on duty.


So you assign properly trained teachers an additional responsibility as "school security officers" and allow them to carry.

[DHC]

After some thought and a review of 18-12-214, it seems the legal aspect would be easy to get around:

18-12-214 (3)(b)

(b) A permittee who is employed or retained by contract by a school district as a school security officer may carry a concealed handgun onto the real property, or into any improvement erected thereon, of a public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school while the permittee is on duty.


So you assign properly trained teachers an additional responsibility as "school security officers" and allow them to carry.

That's a good catch. Depending on the reply (if any), this may be useful to offer as a counter to the expected resistance based on statutory grounds.

[muddywings]

After some thought and a review of 18-12-214, it seems the legal aspect would be easy to get around:
18-12-214 (3)(b)

(b) A permittee who is employed or retained by contract by a school district as a school security officer may carry a concealed handgun onto the real property, or into any improvement erected thereon, of a public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school while the permittee is on duty.


So you assign properly trained teachers an additional responsibility as "school security officers" and allow them to carry.

School District 20 in Colorado Springs should/could be a model. They all have armed security at every high school, I think with three total per school. I also think they have 1 armed at every middle school but not to sure about elementary schools. They also have a marked car, that can run lights and sirens, that is called in for backup when they have drug sweeps or expect issues. They also have a dispatch center that's tied into CSPD.
I think a lot of the security are retired LEO or military. They usually have some younger guy who is trying to get a leg up/foot in the door for law enforcement and using it as a resume builder.
Tell your school districts to contact D-20 in CO Springs so they can emulate them.

[sellersm]

Pull the kids out. Nothing speaks to schools as much as $$! On the State "count day", everyone keep their kid at home, like a boycott!

Sent via carrier pigeon cuz the internet's down.

[DHC]

A Press Release from CCSD about meeting with local law enforcement:


Cherry Creek reviewing school safety and security plans with local law enforcement


On January 22, Superintendent Mary Chesley met with the chiefs and representatives of the four law enforcement agencies that serve the Cherry Creek School District to discuss ideas and strategies to enhance the district’s Comprehensive Safety and Security Plan.

“In the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, we want to be sure that we are taking all the right steps to ensure that our schools remain among the safest places for children,” Chesley said. “We have received suggestions from our community, and we are consulting with our local police agencies to help us make the best choices.”

Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates, Cherry Hills Village Police Chief Michelle Tovrea, Greenwood Village Police Chief John A. Jackson and Patrol Commander Capt. Glenn Thompson of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, along with other representatives of each department, came together to talk about ideas the district has received to enhance safety and to offer their best thinking.

“Everything is on the table,” Chesley said.

The law enforcement agencies will begin their assessments by walking through each of the district’s 61 schools, and reviewing each building’s current individual safety plan. Among the things they will observe is the placement of the district’s nearly 1,400 surveillance cameras for maximum effectiveness.

In November, voters approved a $125 million bond issue which includes funds to upgrade and enhance the current surveillance camera system.

Each of the agencies also said that officers will increase their visibility in and around schools as much as possible. Officers will be encouraged to drop in and visit schools between their other calls and use school parking lots to write their reports. The Cherry Creek School District will continue to partner with police agencies to use schools on weekends and after hours for training exercises.

Currently, schools do monthly fire drills and do “shelter in place,” Lockdown and Secured Perimeter/Lockout drills twice a year. Evacuation drills also are required at all schools .

Once the results of the law enforcement assessment of the current safety and security plans are known, district officials will determine what additional steps need to be taken.

“The safety of our schools, students and staff is always of the highest priority,” Chesley said. “We will continually evaluate our safety and security plans to incorporate the best thinking and practices available.”




I hope she was serious about "Everything is on the table." The pablum about surveillance cameras and lockdown drills is vastly short of anything really effective.

[Danimal]

Solid letter, I hope that you get a serious response. Definitely keep us posted.

[Ashton]

When I read Cherry Creek School District I figured this was about carly crunkbear and you were writing to save her... now I'm picturing her with a gun. Mmmmmm.

[zteknik]

Very well writen.And hopefully it will be read and understood and not just discarded.

What gets me is this madness for lockdowns and cameras.Without propper protection it just gives psycos easy pickings and free airtime..
Kinda reminds me when I was back in grade scool we had fallout drills.I use to get yelled at all the time because I wouldn't duck and cover under the desk.
When asked why I simply said -3rd floor,wooden desks,nuke.....I'm headed to the basement...

[DHC]

Very well writen.And hopefully it will be read and understood and not just discarded.

What gets me is this madness for lockdowns and cameras.Without propper protection it just gives psycos easy pickings and free airtime..
Kinda reminds me when I was back in grade scool we had fallout drills.I use to get yelled at all the time because I wouldn't duck and cover under the desk.
When asked why I simply said -3rd floor,wooden desks,nuke.....I'm headed to the basement...

I've written her on a couple of previous occasions and received a reply both times. On two other occasions, she and I have talked on the phone. She knows me and has responded each time to issues I've raised in the past - though none of them were politically-charged like this one. If she elects to not respond, it will be quite intentional on her part to ignore me - a 'message' in itself.

Edit to add: Part of my motivation for posting this was to raise the question to other parents as to whether they feel their schools have done enough to protect their children. If not, consider writing a letter to your school superintendent and tell them what form of security would be acceptable. If enough of us demand the school districts to take affirmative steps toward effective protections - AND - we demand those administrators to be intellectually honest with their plans and actions, there is some possibility the districts will begin to bubble up their requests to the legislators and those requests will not be (cannot be) for fewer guns in school.

Just a thought.