Spirit Lake School Board approves arming staff

SPIRIT LAKE, IA (KTIV) The Spirit Lake School Board voted to arm some of their staff members in schools Monday night, by a unanimous vote.

The measure came after a school board meeting where the revised emergency response plan was submitted. There can now be up to 10 staff members who are not teachers, armed, which is all a part of a 50-page plan.

School officials and board members believe this was a proactive measure.

“It’s super important for us to get community feedback, and make a decision that we thought was best for the changes that made our plan even stronger, and even safer and an even better option for us as a district,” Angela Olsen, District Director of Special Projects said.

The majority of the feedback from the public was in support of the measure to arm staff members online and in person Friday.

“I always think I have to be prepared. Being prepared. We buy insurance for all kinds of things, We don’t bind them after the accident, or after we get sick,” Shannon Grau-Quail a parent and substitute teacher said.

Although, the measure did not come without pushback as some said staff should educate and the protection should be left to law enforcement, and one parent, Beth Toliver, questioned the leadership of Superintendent David Smith.

“Smith has groomed these board members to the point where there has been no push back, no name boats for the past eight years. What Smith says goes right?” Toliver said.

At the beginning of the meeting, Smith addressed statements made by Spirit lake police Chief Shane Brevik who made statements against the new measure to have staffed armed in a news release.

“The idea that staff and teachers having gone through some simple walkthroughs of tactical situations even begins to prepare them for facing an armed threat is concerning.” said Brevic.

“Some people say you’re trying to scare people. What scares me is a killer killing kids in the classroom,” Smith said. “He (Brevik) showed up the 1/3 of one day of the training, but yet in his response that I thought was very critical and inappropriate, He said this was an unworkable solution.”

School Officials said they will continue to work with Law enforcement on the procedures of the new plan.

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