"I was against (arming APS Police) five years ago and I still am."
She did allow that she was willing to listen to opposing opinion and arguments.
But she still needs to be "convinced".
Do boardmembers have to be "convinced" to vote the interests of their constituents? If an overwhelming majority of Facio's constituents support an issue; is it acceptable for her to vote her conscience; instead of voting her constituents expressed interests?
The proof will be in manifest in the board's efforts to find out what the community really wants. They could do that with surveys. polls, voting, ...
They won't of course. They will make up their own minds and vote accordingly.
It's the way they roll.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
APS Boardmember Berna Facio's mind is made up
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
In Colorado, after Columbine and the lawsuits surrounding that terrible day came to their various conclusions, some principles have been ironed out:
1) The Sheriff had the sole responsibility for providing law enforcement at the school that day
2)the school district was responsible for education, and along with that are some safety and security that the school district should provide, but not responsible for law enforcement
3) Public Entities should get together and be on the same page/distribute responsibilities BEFORE a disaster so similar things don't happen (no duplication of effort, everyone doing what they are responsible for)
Board Member Lucero says he questions the value of ten officers responding to a scene. That he questions the value says to me they are not funded for the things they should be. If Lucero saw them as an Air Force Pilot sees a PJ, he would prolly appreciate them more. But right now he sees them as something else.
Nothing wrong with providing safety and security with uniformed people who are not cops, happens all the time all over the country. Some districts have thier own cops, some "rent" them from local departments, some have security. There are combinations of armed and unarmed, uniformed and non-uniformed security in most big school districts.
APS should decide what serves EDUCATION best, and then go from there. Back up the officers they have, whatever form they may take, with appropriate training and procedures that spell out their duties and expectations well. And keep the vast experience that is there, let people transition into new titles or employers if such is the road in front of them. Let Officers who have kept their certifications up transfer to the "school unit" of APD or BCSD, let them get paid decently for helping our kids every day. Let them have just as much back up as any APD or BCSD officer/deputy and not worry about when they can take the gun out of the trunk. Make sure we don't loose good, trained up officers just because of politics.
With consistent training, and ethical leadership, and tight HR job descriptions/employment practices, the APS Safety and Security Department could serve the interests of Education with the same duty and honor that the APS Security and APS Police have been doing already. Only they would be specifically targeted on education related issues, only act when a nexus to school activity exists. And be working daily on the SAFETY of your child, which is waht a school district is obligated to do by law.
The COPS would worry about sending SWAT teams into CHO-outs.
Safety and Security people would be leading the ORDERED retreat or nailing the doors shut so Klebold-Harris wannabees can't get to HIS little chickadees, not before the cops come and save them. Using every concealment, cover, movement-under-fire technique and distraction in his (or her) conceptual quiver of survival. Providing first aid to the shot, encouragment to those in shock, a Kevlar vest to be behind if it comes down to it.
Safety and Security could train for "surviving for ten minutes" and cops train for "after ten minutes".
Each teacher, each custodian, each Educational Assistant, each police sergeant, each patrolman can be the life boat for twenty or more kids. Just keeping them calm and quiet and in a place of safety for ten minutes, till the rapid shooter team gets up and running down the throat of the next Cho.
Post a Comment