First Posted: 3/4/2015
I am writing to express my continued concern over the recent movement of the Elida board of education toward allowing teachers and other school staff access to firearms while on duty. Moreover, I am very troubled over the Board’s apparent unwillingness to allow the public, even the Elida schools’ constituency, to be involved and informed about proceedings regarding this matter.
Ongoing “special board meetings” and “executive sessions” only further exacerbate what appears to be an attempt to keep the public in the dark about how the board is planning on evaluating the use of firearms within our Elida schools. This is, frankly, unreasonable and conveys an appearance of secrecy to the general public, as though the board has something to hide or obfuscate regarding this extremely critical and very public matter.
As a resident of Elida and as a parent of two students in Elida Middle School, I respectfully insist that no further unpublicized or under-publicized meetings on the subject of providing teachers and school staff access to firearms on school grounds during school hours be undertaken by the Elida board. I request the board become more open and transparent about its proceedings and how it is undergoing the process of determining how best to secure our schools. In addition, I ask that speed at which you are addressing this matter be slowed so that more involvement from the community can be invited and solicited.
Given that the policies the board will enact regarding the safety of the Elida schools affect the life and death of its students and staff, it behooves you to proceed with all openness and transparency, with caution and wisdom and with an abundance of conversation and deliberation with your constituency. These are public schools that you are stewards of, thus you have an obligation to involve the public in the fulfillment of your duties.
David Elkins
Elida
