Local, state officials react to NRA's call for armed guards at schools
By Rob Rogers
National Rifle Association executive vice president and CEO Wayne LaPierre on Friday called for the creation of a new program that would put armed guards or police officers in every school in the nation.
Billings School District 2 Superintendent Terry Bouck isn't convinced that's the best choice.
"It seems to be a knee-jerk reaction and not very well thought out," he said.
SD2 is home to 16,000 students, 22 elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools and the Career Center. It would take a lot of manpower and money to implement a plan like that, Bouck said.
"What does that mean?" he asked. "What does that cost?"
Bouck is leery of creating an environment where the "collateral damage" would be students and staff members.
Besides, he said, SD2 already has a close working relationship with the Billings Police Department.
This past week, after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Billings Police Chief Rich St. John met multiple times with Bouck and SD2 leadership as the district dealt with various rumors and threats.
Working together, St. John increased the police presence at Billings schools throughout the week, and Bouck dispatched his administrative staff to help watch doors and hallways.
The police department also provides five school resource officers to serve SD2's four middle schools and three high schools. The program allows police officers — who are armed — to be in the schools and interact with students in a positive and constructive way.
"What a great way to establish relationships and rapport," St. John said.
St. John is more comfortable than Bouck with placing officers or armed personnel in each school.
"It's smart," he said. "And it's something we'd love to do."
But, St. John acknowledged, a plan like that wouldn't be feasible.
"Unless I get 25 or 30 more officers, it's just not going to happen," he said.
State Superintendent of Schools Denise Juneau said a comprehensive approach will make Montana schools more secure. Like Bouck, she expressed discomfort with placing armed personnel in every school in the state.
"We need a multifaceted approach to prevent tragedies like this in the future," she said.
The state needs to provide access to mental-health services, consider "common sense" gun control and educate students on discerning and understanding violence in the media, she said.
She added that the state needs to ensure schools have updated emergency and safety procedures with the necessary training and resources to carry them out.
She also liked the idea of better using the school resource officer program.
"School resource officers are present in many of our schools, and our schools have close relationships with local law enforcement to ensure school safety," she said. "Those effective partnerships have been demonstrated across the state as schools have worked to ensure the safety of Montana students following the tragedy in Connecticut."
Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/education/local-state-officials-react-to-nra-s-call-for-armed/article_6ecad316-f39e-55d0-912f-63e4dd3dfe0d.html#ixzz2FnOzCfLm
