Plan would disarm police, security guards in local school district
BURIEN, Wash. -- A controversial idea to disarm school guards and police officers in the Highline School District will soon go before the school board for a decision as part of a broader comprehensive security review, but not everyone is supportive of the idea.
There are 20 armed officers stationed throughout the Highline School District, and the idea to disarm security officers -- which the district's spokesperson says is one of many options under the broad security review -- would make every school within the district a "gun free zone."
But district spokesperson Catherine Carbone emphasizes no formal proposal has been made and won’t until after the security study is completed and a thorough review process is finished.
New Superintendent Sue Enfield declined an on camera interview but said in a brief email that several “security models” were being examined “and it would, therefore, be premature for me to comment until we have reviewed the proposal.”
The plan might have gone unnoticed in the largely peaceful school district had it not been for the horrendous shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Some 18,300 students attend school in the Highline District, and authorities find guns smuggled into schools a couple of times each year, on average; a miniscule percentage of armed students.
Two days after Enfield and others discussed the concept at a school board workshop in December, the massacre in Newtown happened. But that didn't shake Enfield's resolve. Despite the pressure to back off, the idea of removing guns from school security remains a possibility.
The issue of guns in schools remains sensitive for many, and that could explain why so few people are willing to publicly oppose the gun ban.
The police, PTSA and the school board have yet to take a stand on the proposal, but the Highline Teachers Union on Monday said they will submit a letter formally urging the district to continue arming school security.
While many of the district's adults are remaining quiet, local students are talking about proposed ban.
"Well, I think for safety reasons, they should give the officers guns. Like, for the kids in Sandy Hook Elementary School," said Highline High School student Neyda Cruz.
Enfield has ordered an exhaustive school security study as part of the gun ban idea, and she isn't talking about it until the study is finished.
The teachers union is meeting Monday night and will learn more about the proposed “security models.” The school board has a regular Wednesday meeting. The board president said members will likely not vote on the matter until they have more information.
There are 20 armed officers stationed throughout the Highline School District, and the idea to disarm security officers -- which the district's spokesperson says is one of many options under the broad security review -- would make every school within the district a "gun free zone."
But district spokesperson Catherine Carbone emphasizes no formal proposal has been made and won’t until after the security study is completed and a thorough review process is finished.
New Superintendent Sue Enfield declined an on camera interview but said in a brief email that several “security models” were being examined “and it would, therefore, be premature for me to comment until we have reviewed the proposal.”
The plan might have gone unnoticed in the largely peaceful school district had it not been for the horrendous shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Some 18,300 students attend school in the Highline District, and authorities find guns smuggled into schools a couple of times each year, on average; a miniscule percentage of armed students.
Two days after Enfield and others discussed the concept at a school board workshop in December, the massacre in Newtown happened. But that didn't shake Enfield's resolve. Despite the pressure to back off, the idea of removing guns from school security remains a possibility.
The issue of guns in schools remains sensitive for many, and that could explain why so few people are willing to publicly oppose the gun ban.
The police, PTSA and the school board have yet to take a stand on the proposal, but the Highline Teachers Union on Monday said they will submit a letter formally urging the district to continue arming school security.
While many of the district's adults are remaining quiet, local students are talking about proposed ban.
"Well, I think for safety reasons, they should give the officers guns. Like, for the kids in Sandy Hook Elementary School," said Highline High School student Neyda Cruz.
Enfield has ordered an exhaustive school security study as part of the gun ban idea, and she isn't talking about it until the study is finished.
The teachers union is meeting Monday night and will learn more about the proposed “security models.” The school board has a regular Wednesday meeting. The board president said members will likely not vote on the matter until they have more information.
Hi folks,
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Seeing the comments posted here has raised my spirits! My husband is an armed guard at Highline and will be directly impacted by this issue, as will all of the other staff and students in the district. It's sheer lunacy to dis-arm the security staff and to remove the sworn police officers who are stationed at some of the schools. Besides the few guns they confiscate each year, there are countless other types of weapons taken from students (knives, etc.) Â
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Not only is Enfield playing with the lives of the students and employees, she's a hypocrite as well. Guess who still plans to retain an armed guard for her own personal protection during the monthly "open" meetings they have (you know, in case some crazed lunatic or disgruntled person tries to cause HER harm?) I'm SERIOUS. She wants the guard protecting HER to be ARMED, however the guards protecting our teachers and children should be UNARMED.
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Highline parents and local citizens need to speak up! Even if you can't attend the meeting - contact the district and let your opinions be heard!
Well, guess who just put a big freaking bullseye on the school thanks to their stupidity. Criminals aren't going to obey your "Gun free zone" BS if they want to do evil. Might as well remove the officers from the school completely! Otherwise what the hell are they going to do, pelt a shooter with glue sticks and crayons?
@SilverGryphon No. They'll just have to use harsh language instead...
(As I posted earlier: Had there been armed guards (pick your type: security or police) at Sandy Hook Elementary, they could have reached the shooter as quickly as that poor principal and school psychologist, but they could have shot him dead, vs dying trying to overpower an armed shooter. Where is the question here? I just don't get it...)
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I am not a gun owner, nor do I wish to be a gun owner. I would not even shoot an animal unless it was attacking. I don't have the heart.
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But, I do believe those that own guns should be allowed to as long as they are responsible. Not much different than owning a vehicle or a dog, in that all can be a danger if "used" wrong.
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I would not hesitate to kill a human attacking my children for one iota of a second.
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My children go to a school that is a decent school in decent area.
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BUT I fully believe the resource officers/police officers ALREADY IN PLACE should be there and should be armed! My comment above is exactly why.
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I truly do not understand those that feel that guns should be banned from those protecting our children in schools; (I'm being specific here on purpose). What is the harm? Is it that you do not want your children to "see" the guns? Or that you do not want to believe that your children could possible be in harm's way? I am truly at a loss.
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So, I try to picture a school as a "gun free zone" - only truly enforced for the LAW ABIDING - with, what? Having every single person file through metal detectors? Because how else will you enforce it? So, now, how do you propose we as a society keep the NON LAW ABIDING "people" from coming in and wrecking havoc? Perhaps post a sign saying, "Everyone who enters must go through metal detector"?
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IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE
Are they idiots an armed recource officer would have ended sandyhook before it began!
UNBELIEVEABLE, INSANE, ILLOGICAL, NUTS, IDIOTIC IDEA
I have read on the District website That there is a Highline School board meeting.. Wed Jan 9th 6-7PM at ERAC.
This topic below  is not on the items list this week however if you sign in you get 5 mins to speak.
Im sure your School Officers will also be there. Its their safety and that of the students on the line here..
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 @Robert D I was wondering if anyone here went to the meeting last night?
Don't be part of the problem. BE part of the solution!  http://americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/
Dear fellow American,
Two years ago, a mentally ill young man shot me in the head, killed six of my constituents, and wounded 12 others. Since that terrible day, America has seen 11 more mass shootings â but no response from Congress to prevent gun violence. After the massacre of 20 children and six of their teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary though, itâs clear: This time must be different.
Americans for Responsible Solutions will encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership by communicating directly with the constituents that elect them.
Join us today, and tell your elected leaders that Americans are demanding responsible solutions to reduce gun violence.
Please take a moment to read our op-ed.
Sincerely,
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 @Chris Mass shootings arent increasing.........
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-mass-shootings-common-20121218,0,6511082.story
@Susabelle I suppose you are pleased there were only 11 mass shootings since Gabby Giffords was shot. Not good enough for me and many many more. Don't worry tho. Plenty of us will be applying the pressure for changes at both the state and federal levels. In fact we have already started! Have a great day.
 @Chris  @Susabelle The Glock Gabby Giffords owns would be considered an "hi capacity" assault weapon....just an FYI...
 @Chris  @Susabelle Pleased? Hardly, however I certainly dont live in never never land. Why is it that when your "statistics" fail to support your position you inevitably fall back on personal attacks? The truth of the matter is that violence has been on a downward trend for the past several decades. The problem is, you believe to remove guns will stop these attacks, I do not believe that, as a matter of fact, I believe it will provide a better opportunity for those bent on causing harm to do so.Â
 @Chris  @Susabelle Guns are here to stay. I wish you the best of luck but nothing will change. :D Enjoy wasting your time. P.S. You should probably start the paper work for home-schooling now because disarming the good guys is insane.
 @Chris Sorry, everyone wants solutions, but I doubt anyone will agree on them. The anti-gun crowd seems to think that gun free zones, limiting magazines and banning AR "type" weapons will work, never has before. So lets try this, get rid of the gun free zones, allow qualified teachers to carry if they so choose and crack down on the gun black market problem. There is no way to limit weapons at this point without encroaching on our 2nd amendment rights, so lets rethink this a little, perhaps disarming the good guys is a bad idea?
@Susabelle sorry teachers are there to teach, not to carry. The teachers I know do NOT want to carry and there are those I would NOT want to carry. I will not fulfill the NRA dream of man everyone. Maybe it is time the responsible gun owners still in the NRA ousted the thug leadership they have and work towards restoring the integrity of the mission they used to have. The day guns are put in my childs school is the day we will homeschool. Our little one has stated she will feel more afraid in school if there are guns.Â
 @Chris  @Susabelle I never suggested that all teachers should carry, not once, as a matter of fact I think most shouldnt, what I said was those that wish to, and qualify to carry, are allowed to do so. I actually know several teachers that would, and would trust them to be responsible with it. I would be more likely to home school because of lack of protection to our children than because of it. We disagree on the bottom line, personally I think you are merely a victim waiting to happen, but I suppose that is my opinion. Since I still have my 1st amendment right, which is backed by the 2nd by the way, I am allowed to fully express this opinion, which at the same time protects yours as well.
@Chris Problem with your idea is it will do nothing to stop the violence. You hatred for the NRA is misguided. You actuallly think more laws will prevent lawbreakers from doing it again????  It won't
While you all are complaining about her what exactly are you doing to help form solutions to prevent this escalating mass shooting we have. Do you even know what our state laws are on guns? That we rate only a grade of C? Check it out here.  http://smartgunlaws.org/search-gun-law-by-state/ There are things we can demand of our state legislators to tighten gun laws and cut down on the number of guns in criminal hands. This is not a site of long regulations. It is in layman terms. Many states have a conflict in the law with the federal law regarding gun shows who allow private sellers. We are one of those! Here is something in Oklahoma City that is a prime example of the loophole that needs to be shut down. We know criminals are not going to be truthful and if it were not for a very astute and observant police officer who knows what acts of violence would have been done with these guns. Instead of complaining TAKE ACTION AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! http://newsok.com/three-men-two-of-them-felons-arrested-for-buying-gun-at-oklahoma-city-show/article/3742508
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 @Chris The "gunshow loop hole" is an out and out lie. When they say you can buy a gun from a dealer without a background check is wrong.  It is a federal crime for a FFL holder to sell a firearm to anyone without doing the check.  Go to a gun show and try to buy one without the check and see what happens. What the "loop hole" is when a private sale is done at the show you don't have to do the background check, because the check is only available for FFL dealers.Â
@Chris The guy who did this killing did not even own the guns, so any laws would not have stopped it. ONly an armed guard could
@Chris Want a solution? Try this. Continue to allow for Concealed Weapon Permits but strengthen the requirements for obtaining one; require STRICT background checks and drug screening as well as THOROUGH training. Then, do away with the current laws and rules that require a good guy with a CWP to leave his gun in the car for the bad guys to steal every time he enters a bank, school, mall or place of business. Personally, I agree with the NRA comment that "the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun".
Is she HIGH? This is the most stupid thing a superintendent can do, by disarming police and guards at the school she is putting the students in serious danger. Her excuse "Guns have  rarely been used since they have had armed guards and police" Well DUH the reason they have not been used that much is because some criminals have been smart enough not to mess with a school with armed personnel knowing that they would have a good fight against them. Guns are the first line of defense a Peace Officer or Armed Guard has against an armed assailant. You take guns out of our schools by law enforcement and there will be no protection from armed criminals. Also if  you remove guns from schools and put kids in danger the parents will be smart and remove their children from the school district and relocate them to another more safer school district and you will loose your federal funding! Did you forget the federal government funds schools on a per child capita?
and the lunacy continues.....
Any concerned parents and citizens, especially those residing within the Highline District should be active and attend the next school board meeting. VOICE YOUR OPINION AND STOP THE SUPERINTENDANT FROM DISARMING OUR CHILDREN'S PROTECTORS! The board meeting is tomorrow, January 9th at 6 pm at the disctrict office. 15675 Ambaum Blvd SW Burien, WA 98166 Please be there!
What the fark? How can they possibly think this is a good idea??? Â Can we demand mental health screenings for stuff like this? This is some seriously dangerous cognitive dissonance or something.
Should the security guards use harsh language then? Or is that banned also?
 @Thepriest That was awesome, thank you for that laugh. :D
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This has nothing to do with whether she is a dem, a moron, a liberal, a moron, or what church she goes to. It's her brain, that mass located within her skull. She's an educated idiot.
Why are so many people using this as an excuse to bash liberals? This isn't a political issue, it's a common sense issue. There are just as many stupid conservatives as liberals. Personally, I'm sick and tired of Republicans using every excuse to pitch on the Democratic party. It makes you look petty and stupid. BTW: I'm a liberal and I like guns.
 @firstron The problem is its rampant on both sides. If you really want it to stop you need to focus on everyone. Spend some time on any liberal blog and you would be shocked at how much this happens. The conservatives aren't much different but seem to be more classy about it in some cases. Overall its a universal problem.Â
 @firstron Then please recover your party from these sanctimonious idiots as well as from the illiberal leftists.
@Iconoclast Wait a minute . . . let me get this right. You're calling Liberals sanctimonious idiots? Whoh!
 @firstron Exactly. I've always considered myself a liberal who supports the constitution and the rights that are provided on that piece of paper. That includes the right to pack a gun for self defense or defense of the constitution.
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Sue is an idiot, play right into the criminalâs hand. Â Okay Police, arm yourselves with spit balls and prepare to return fire.
@dkgiovenco Yeah, let's put her in front of the lunatics and let her stop them
 @concernedcitizen  @dkgiovenco I like your line of thinking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyS3CEIbpJo&feature=em-share_video_user
Very good. Thank you..
gun ban in Australia.. see video and learn
People need to support armed police officers in our schools. There are too many miscreants, and mentally ill wandering around in our society unchecked. Without an on site offficer there will be more incedents no one wants to see happen.
A lot of comments about the School Board getting rid of Dr. Ensfield. What people don't understand.... Is the Highline School District School Board is BACKING HER!!! And if you read one of the last things Dr. Ensfield and the School Board stated, by the Year 2015, there won't be any suspensions in the Highline School District.Â
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 @ratcitymom It sounds like Highline voters need to come down on the elected School Board quite hard.
I agree with you Iconoclast! But parents don't go to the board meetings to find out whats going on. So the Board just pushes through their agenda. And then when something bad happens.... Its, "Well I didn't know?" And then the District gets sued..
Cause a gun free zone sign will stop 'em! Â Always has. Â Always will.
"Gun free zones" = Attention criminals, easy targets.
254 comments as I post this message and just since last night. And just about every one of them is for keeping the guns on security. I live in the HSD and I know that those "guards" are all former or active law enforcement. They have to go through as well as maintain St of WA qualifications with weapons and training. They train at the SPD range!. They are very cost efficient costing half of what it costs to bring in full time PD Officers car and benefits. And again they are former or still working with PD's. Talk to them and ask.. I did. So I just dont know why she is doing this. Please Back up those security officers. They are well trained have worked silently for the district and carrying weapons for years. And most of the students get along well with them as well!!! They are the very first line of defense when that idiot walks onto the campus with a weapon.You know how the district always says "its for the kids" when they need money.. Well, what do you call this? It is for the kids!! and it doesnt need a bond... This is not Bellevue, and we dont pretend to be it either. Its a good school district but in a tough area. Thats the facts.
I was married to one of the officers. I live in the Highline District and work for the district. I didn't about the officers being armed until we started dating (of course that was almost 10 years ago). The officers are well trained and care about our students. I know I feel safer knowing that our officers are armed and available.
Im glad this twit isn't in my kids school district.
Its always been unconstitutional for any state or municipality to ban guns by legal owners in any public building.
The Newton slaughter is a perfect example of why there should be no gun free zones. If you want more innocent people slaughtered then start banning guns.
 @Blindman Please tell me you submitted this to fark... XD