The tough talk between the Worcester County Board of Education and the State’s Attorney and Sheriff’s Office has reached alarming levels.
As a media institution closely following the situation on a weekly basis, we have a solid grasp on the back-and-forth statements and complaints being aired. The public, however, must be worried. Parents of students, especially those in middle and high schools, are left wondering who to believe.
Law enforcement is contending individual schools are not sharing with authorities when criminal activity takes place within school buildings. After being challenged about it, the school system issued a letter, eliciting this response. “Unfortunately for the community, but perhaps unsurprisingly, school officials are once again outright denying that school safety issues exist, even after having been confronted with direct evidence and concrete examples. It appears that school officials are choosing to prioritize the appearance of school safety over actual school safe-ty. As it stands, the often-repeated conclusion of school officials that “schools are safe” doesn’t make it so, and a so-called “task force” comprised of all the same individuals with whom law enforcement has continuously discussed these safety issues for the past 4 years is not likely to suddenly become an effective solution. …”
Those harsh comments were a result of a three-page letter from the school board, saying, “the Board found that there is a gross failure in effective communication between the Partners (Sheriff, State’s Attorney and our Executive Team) and believes, without reservation, that this needs immediate attention and correction. Likewise, the Board is concerned that misinformation, not only between the Partners, but that has been conveyed to the community, has led to confusion and discontent. The Board believes that all Partners share in some of the responsibility for these sentiments.”
It’s becoming a saga now. It’s time for cooler heads to prevail in the concerns over school public safety. The goals need to be the same, but the current strife is hurting the community. Anxiety has mounted in recent weeks as the chief law enforcers of the county express concern school safety is not the priority it stated to be. Equally concerning are statements from school officials how the media should not be involved, writing in a prepared statement, “The Board fails to see how engaging in truth versus fiction dialogue through public forums is helpful in maintaining school safety …”
If a task force is the next step, it needs to meet immediately, and all parties need to come together and create an action plan for change. The meetings must be productive and result in the changes needed to settle law enforcement’s concerns state law is not being followed in local schools.
