Every child deserves to feel safe at school, both physically and emotionally, and on the way to and from school.

 

When we talk about school safety, we cannot limit the conversation to emergency drills, security measures, or what happens at the front door. Safety means that a student should be able to walk into a classroom, hallway, cafeteria, athletic field, or school bus knowing that the adults responsible for them are creating an environment where they are protected and respected.

 

Our students deserve to feel safe from ceilings falling on their heads, from bullying that is allowed to continue without adequate intervention, and from the occasional adult whose anger or frustration is inappropriately directed toward students. They also deserve to feel safe walking, biking, or riding to and from school.

 

These are different challenges, but they share one fundamental principle: our children are entitled to a safe learning environment, and the adults responsible for our schools have an obligation to provide it. 

 

That requires accountability.

 

We need facilities that are properly maintained and hazards addressed before they become emergencies. We need meaningful and consistent responses to bullying. We need clear expectations for professional conduct and appropriate intervention when those expectations are not met. And we need to work with our municipal partners to identify and address safety concerns along the routes students use to get to and from school.

 

Safety also requires listening. Students and families should have accessible ways to report concerns and confidence that those concerns will be taken seriously and addressed appropriately.

 

If elected, I will make school safety a priority and ensure the policies we have put in place are working.

 

Our children should never have to wonder whether they are safe at school. They should know it.

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UPDATE

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Early in my candidacy, I was eager to participate in the SOMA Action interview while I was still getting up to speed on a wide range of issues facing our district. In hindsight, I would have answered the question about School Resource Officers (SROs) differently.

 

At the time, I was under the impression that SROs were district employees managed by the school district, and I didn't fully understand the relationship between SROs and the police department. Since then, I have taken the time to learn more, review the issue, and have conversations that have helped me better understand the implications.

 

I want to be clear about where I stand today: I am firmly opposed to having police officers within our schools.

 

We know there is a long history of racial disparities in school discipline and concerns about the school-to-prison pipeline. I believe our schools should be places where students feel safe, supported, and able to learn, not be places where interactions with law enforcement become part of the school experience, often prematurely exposing adolescents to the criminal justice system.

 

That doesn't mean ignoring safety. It means approaching school safety through prevention, supportive relationships, mental health resources, appropriate crisis response, and strong partnerships with families and the broader community.

 

I believe being a candidate and potentially a Board member means being willing to listen, learn, and acknowledge when additional information changes your understanding of an issue. I would rather be transparent about that than to pretend I had every answer at the beginning of my campaign. 

 

My commitment is to continue listening, asking questions, and putting students first.