School shootings: Are we prepared?

You are at the grocery store, or at work, or home. Your cell phone buzzes. It’s a text message from your child. Odd, you think. Why am I getting a text message from my child who is in class at school? You read it and fear grips your stomach.

“Mom, Dad, gunshots are being fired. We are on lockdown. We are hiding in a classroom. I’m scared.”

At that moment you hear sirens in the distance.

Every parent’s nightmare. A nightmare that has been experienced by many parents and students in the past 20 years across the United States. The names and images are seared into our minds. Columbine, 15 killed — 21 wounded; Red Lake, Minn., 10 killed — 7 wounded; Virginia Tech, 33 killed — 23 wounded, Sandy Hook, 28 killed — 2 wounded; Roseburg, Ore., 10 killed — 9 wounded; and, just last month, Parkland, Fla., 17 killed — 14 wounded.

And now, most recently, Santa Fe High School in Texas, 10 killed — 12 wounded.

These are the school shootings where at least 10 died since the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School near Denver. In total, according to Wikipedia, there have been more than 200 school shootings with a total of about 200 students killed across the country since Columbine.

Two hundred. A small number out of the roughly 50 million students who have attended school during this same time. This places the odds of a child being shot and killed while in school at about 1 in 164,000,000. Statistically very low.

A statistic that means nothing if your child is one of the 200 who has been killed.

And the last thing Boundary County school officials and law enforcement want is to become a part of those statistics or join the national list of school shootings.

But what is the best way to protect our students?

This is the challenge school districts across the nation, and here in Bonners Ferry, struggle with every day. Options range from educating and improving communication with students, hardening school buildings, limiting access to schools, placing metal detectors in schools, hiring armed guards, securing guns in strategic locations in buildings, and even allowing select teachers to conceal carry.

Last year the Mountain View School District in Grangeville, Idaho, became one of three Idaho school districts along with one private school district to allow faculty and staff to carry firearms. More than 100 other school districts across the nation have also taken that step.

“The pros and cons have been discussed and discussed and discussed,” Mountain View School District Superintendent Ken Stokes was quoted as saying soon after the school board’s 4-1 decision to allow approved employees to carry a concealed firearm.

Signs informing the public of security measures are now posted in front of many schools in America. One such sign in Colorado reads: “Certain staff members are armed and will use whatever force is necessary to protect our students and staff.”

While many Bonners Ferry officials have reservations about arming teachers, the safety of the area’s students is always on their minds. Many steps have been taken to ensure their protection.

“Columbine was the incident that caused a big change for schools and law enforcement across the country,” said Boundary County Chief Deputy Richard Stephens.

“Our community has been preparing for a long time,” Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer said. “We realize our resources as a department are limited, so we try to coordinate with everyone in the school district, city police, tribal police, border patrol, fire department and emergency medical personnel.”

Boundary County School District Superintendent Gary Pflueger is strongly motivated to make student emotional and physical safety the No. 1 priority.

This past February the school district hosted a School Safety Analyst from the Idaho Office of School Safety and Security.

“The analyst performed an unannounced drop-in visit to three of the district’s five schools,” Pflueger said. “He has completed a report for each school identifying strengths and weaknesses. The principals, maintenance personnel, police and I will soon be reviewing the findings.”

Currently, all schools hold lockdown, fire, and earthquake drills.

One area of improvement Pflueger stressed involves building security.

“Our administrative coverage … is the best I could hope for,” Pflueger said. “We have good video coverage in our schools and secure access to our schools has been improved over the years.”

Pflueger added, “We have worked toward modifying our buildings and practices to bring about a safer environment for our students and staff. There is really no way of making our schools a fortress, nor should we want that option.”

Sheriff Kramer echoed Pflueger’s feelings about school security.

“I think one of the areas the schools have improved is controlling access to the buildings,” Kramer said. “There’s more accountability for people attending and entering any of the schools. It’s important to note that the school district and law enforcement have not put their heads in the sand here.”

For security reasons, officials did not want to reveal all the details of the security enhancements that have been made. But according to Pflueger, improving building access is just one of many goals for the school district.

“Mental illness, behavior issues, abusive home environments, and personal tragedy are all very difficult to identify and control,” Pflueger said. “If any of us see or hear of someone struggling with personal issues, we must step up to offer help.”

Among many who work at putting that idea into practice is School Safety Resource Officer Mike Martinez of the Bonners Ferry Police Department. For almost a year Martinez has been a bridge between school staff, law enforcement, and the students.

“The school resource officer program is designed to improve relationships between students and law enforcement,” Kramer said. “We don’t want students viewing law enforcement as ‘us against them,’ Officer Martinez is the face of that program, and through his involvement, he is helping break down walls between students and us.”

While many of the law enforcement officers have up to 20 years experience, Martinez is a relative newcomer. He has been an officer for three years, this being his first year as a school resource officer. His youth helps make him more relatable to the students.

“I am kind of like a lone wolf,” Martinez said. “I am the only resource officer for the five schools in the county and this is why it is important that we all work together.”

Martinez spends most of his day in the schools. He visits with teachers and students, patrols hallways and parking lots. His goal is to make himself visible and accessible.

“That includes going out and doing vehicle checks and having contact with vehicles that seem out of place,” Martinez said. “I want to maintain connections with the school staff and student body.”

It was during one of his routine parking lot checks at the high school that he discovered an AR-15 rifle in a student’s unlocked car.

“In this area a lot of people have guns, so it’s not like we’re expecting anyone to be using them,” Martinez said. “But it is against Idaho law to possess guns on school property. If you do have a gun it better be well-hidden and locked so other people don’t have access to it.”

Pflueger is not in favor of arming teachers, and law enforcement officials are guarded about that idea as well.

“I have had teachers and staff volunteer their service to carry a weapon,” Pflueger said. “While the issue has not yet been formally discussed by our school board, it is my personal belief that more guns do not solve gun violence issues; education does. Increasing communication through ‘See, Hear, and Say’ is critical to preventing these horrible situations from occurring. Students who hear or read about threats or concerns on social media must come forward and share these concerns with parents or school staff.”

Kramer said his sheriff’s department stands ready to support whatever decision the school board makes about improving security by offering enhanced training. But he also has reservations about arming teachers.

“My position is that there is a big difference between carrying a gun and having the skill set and the knowledge to properly know when to use it,” Kramer said. “I’m a strong believer in the Second Amendment, and I am not opposed to teachers being armed. But I think there needs to be significant additional training. Hitting a target for a bullseye is one thing. It is a totally different mindset during a challenging and moving situation.”

Kramer is confident that the reaction of his department to a school shooting situation would be swift.

“If I hear shots being fired inside a school,” Stephens said, “I’m going in. The kids have zero protection, and if I can improve their chances, I’m going to do it. Based on our training it’s going to be very difficult to rein us in during a situation like that.”

Training, communication, and teamwork between the school district, city, and county law enforcement and emergency response personnel is the goal in providing the areas students with a safe and secure environment.