During a recent school committee meeting, community members voiced significant concerns regarding safety and staffing issues within the district.
Jade Joubert, a local resident, expressed her outrage over a planned meeting at the school involving a student who had made a bomb threat. Joubert argued that holding the meeting on school grounds trivializes the severity of the threat and suggested that it should take place at the police department instead. She emphasized the need for the administration to take such threats seriously, advocating for a temporary ban on the student from campus to ensure the safety of other students and staff.
Cara Blatt, co-president of the MEA Teachers Union, highlighted the critical shortage of nursing staff in schools, stressing the importance of adequate support for medically fragile students. She called for increased pay and resources for nurses to ensure they can provide the necessary care.
Other community members echoed these sentiments. Jillian Kelly, unable to attend the meeting, expressed her concerns about the lack of communication regarding the consequences for the students involved in the recent threats. She advocated for a zero-tolerance policy to address such behavior, labeling it as a form of domestic terrorism.
Cynthia Frazee proposed the installation of metal detectors in schools to enhance security, while Shannon Quinn raised alarms about the legal nurse-to-student ratio in Massachusetts, which she deemed unsafe for the well-being of students with complex medical needs.
The meeting underscored a growing demand for heightened safety measures and adequate staffing in schools, reflecting the community's commitment to ensuring a secure and supportive educational environment for all students.