Rising concern about school safety has prompted Durango School District 9-R to begin a community conversation about the appropriate measures and systems for Durango schools to adopt.
A panel discussion on school safety will be held at 6 p.m. Monday in the Board Room of the Administration Building, 201 East 12th St. Following the panel, the floor will be opened for attendees to offer their ideas, concerns and thoughts on school safety.
“We’ve had numerous ideas presented to us, from arming teachers and staff, to metal detectors, to hiring retired military to provide security. Some ideas are complimentary and some ideas are not,” said 9-R Superintendent Dan Snowberger in an interview Friday.
Snowberger said he can discuss some security measures in place at 9-R schools, but not all of them can be made public.
“We serve everyone in the community. So, we have to facilitate a conversation that comes up with the right security measures and systems for our district,” he said.
“In the end, we have to come up with a community decision about what is the right security for our schools.”
Snowberger said Monday’s discussion would be the first of several to examine school safety and to explore the community’s views.
Confirmed panelists to discuss school safety on Monday are Durango Police Chief Kamran Afzal; Capt. Adrian Driscoll of the Colorado State Patrol; Durango Fire Protection District Chief Hal Doughty; Christina Serwe, a parent of a DHS student; Benji Danquah, DHS security specialist; and Kathy Morris, 9-R safety and security coordinator.
Several other panelists might be added for the discussion, said Julie Popp, 9-R spokeswoman.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
