Schools

BOE Has Failed to Follow Procedure Regarding SRO Position, Reader Says

"Should an incident arise that even remotely indicates negligence on the part of the Board or on the part of the SRO the liability exposure will be staggering," says Michael Celock.

To the Editor,

I agree with Mr. Blitt’s characterization that the issues of reinstating the school resource officer has become focused on the issue of public disclosure and the deliberate refusal to fully engage the community prior to implementing any vote on the matter. The manner in which the Board has chosen to keep the public informed combined with their refusal to embrace community involvement are important factors to consider when deciding the merits of the SRO position.

Policy making is the primary method by which the Westfield Board of Education exercises their statutory authority. What we are witnessing in this instance is how the Board’s actions are actively diminishing the effectiveness of any action they decide to take in attempting to implement the SRO position.

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The most important aspect of a school board’s responsibility is to establish a vision for their community schools that reflect a consensus of not only the Board but the community, and parents as well. This is not some radical thought that I or the majority of parents have been promoting. This is actually a policy that is actively promoted by the National School Boards Association. They and other national experts recognize that a successful school safety policy requires a broad base effort by the entire community working in tandem. By adopting a comprehensive, cooperative approach increased safety and security of Westfield schools can be achieved.

In order to meet their fiduciary responsibility to ensure a safe school environment, the Westfield School Board must take into account a variety of legal requirements and considerations to ensure that any policy they develop and institute complies with current best practices. The proposed policies that the Board hopes to implement must contain specific principles of effectiveness and need to be grounded in scientific-based research that provides evidence that if the program is to be used, will achieve the stated goals. Merely stating that the SRO program worked well a number of years ago does not meet this burden.

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The Board needs to take steps (to ensure) their policy on implementing the SRO position is up to date with respect to statutory changes and other legal considerations. More importantly, the Board must make sure that any procedures they promulgate are done in a uniform manner following established procedures.

The letter to the editor from Ms. Ormsby Cary and Mr. Slater raises several disturbing issues. In their letter, they state that the Board has chosen to circumvent and ignore their own formal established procedures for the development of the SRO position. According to Ms. Ormsby Cary and Mr. Slater, the Board has a formal procedure in place that mandates that the Board fully vet major policy decisions, first thorough a Board committee. Then the rules state that after reaching a consensus, the committee makes a recommendation to the full Board. Only then can the full Board discuss and vote on the matter.

Ms. Ormsby Cary and Mr. Slater then make the serious claim that the Board chose to disregard their own established and recognized procedures, when making the determination to implement the SRO position. There was no committee process and all the Board members were not informed on the issues in a uniform manner. Such a deliberate failure to follow their own established formal procedures has created a significant liability exposure for to the School Board as well as the entire Westfield Community. Should an incident arise that even remotely indicates negligence on the part of the Board or on the part of the SRO the liability exposure will be staggering.

Also keep in mind by their failure to follow their established procedures, the Board has negated any action the school resource officer would undertake. Every action the school resource officer would hope to undertake from the development and implementation of any enforcement action or arrest could be legally challenged. The costs of legally defending the actions of the school resource officer not only bankrupt the school district, but it would significantly raise property taxes. It makes no difference that other members of the Board may refute Ms. Ormsby Cary and Mr. Slater’s claims. They are duly elected Board members and their claims are sufficient justification for the above scenarios.

The implementation of the position of school resource officer by its very nature has the significant potential to create legitimate liability issues for Westfield. There have been numerous instances where the school resource officer misplaced his handgun within the school or had his firearm negligently discharge in school. There is also the possibility of false arrest claims. All these examples are now increased since the Board failed to follow establish procedure. It is also painfully obvious that the Board has not fully addressed and resolved all the issues such a position would create.

In reading Westfield Patch and in conversations, I have learned that this is the not the first time the Board has been criticized for failing to follow their rules of procedure. The issue of the state Department of Education ordering a revote on redistricting due to the Board not following their own rules comes to mind. In addition, current Board members have in the past criticized the Board for not adequately researching an issue and for not being able to produce the necessary studies. The question now is the same, why the rush and why the lack of study. In addition the question of why the hypocritical behavior arises. With the Board once voting to apologize to an entire neighborhood for not properly communicating with them about a major policy decision, it raises another question. Has the Board learned from mistakes they themselves have admitted to?

The position of school resource officer is not something out of Adam-12 where the police officer is a confidant and volunteers in his off-duty time. He is a law enforcement officer. His only priority is to enforce the law. He will be making arrests some justified, some not. Studies do indeed show that school resource officers have the tendency to criminalize even minor disciplinary problems. That should worry every parent with children in the district. The only sure thing that the implementation of a school resource officer will accomplish in Westfield is the lowering of property values.

Quite frankly, what is the overriding rush in attempting the SRO position, Westfield is about to start summer vacation, they have ample time to move forward in a responsible manner.

Westfield, members of the Board and others have raised a number of serious and legitimate issues that must be addressed and resolved prior to the implementation of the SRO position. Even the most cursory of reviews can identify at least 10 significant issues that need to be addressed and resolved.

It is time that members of the Board and school administrators take a step back. The matter of the SRO is not us vs. them, egos or winning or losing. The only concern is doing what is right for the students.

The members of the Board and school administrators need to acknowledge that at least some of the concerns that have been articulated may have merit. Will the Board members and administrators who are rushing to implement this program be just as quick to accept responsibility should something go wrong? I think we all know the answer to that question.

Michael Celock


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