Bend-La Pine parents voice concerns on school safety

Several Bend-La Pine Schools parents had lots to say about their kids’ safety to the school board Tuesday evening after the recent Florida shooting and a spate of threats of violence at Bend-area schools.

Most parents said they cannot stand idle any more. They said they want to do everything in their power to protect their children, listen to students, and let them know they have support.

Lanka Moor, the parent of a first-grader, said she wants public schools to focus on kindness, be open about how people feel things differently, and teach the reward of giving without having to receive anything in return.

“I always say to my own family, we can’t think about it’s not your problem until it’s your problem, because it is our problem,” Moor said. “Two weeks ago, it wasn’t Florida’s problem and guess what, it became that — and tomorrow, it could be our kids.”

Angela Chisum, a parent of two children in the district , said she’s devastated this conversation is happening again.

“I can’t stop thinking about those poor parents who sent their kids off to school never to see them again. And they’re burdened by things like, ‘Did i say I love you?'”Chisum said. “These tiny things that no parent should have to deal with, and the fact we have let this go on as a nation for so long blows my mind.”

Another parent said smaller classroom sizes would allow teachers and other staff to see the students who are being bullied or are struggling and help them immediately.

In a letter sent home Monday, Superintendent Shay Mikalson advised parents to secure weapons and medication in their own homes. He said the district is working on creating “secure lobbies” and making it mandatory for all visitors to check in at the main office.

“What doesn’t always get told is the effort of our school board,” Mikalson said. “I just want to publicly thank the school board on behalf of everything (they) do.”

Lynette Confer is the mother of two children who are going to school in La Pine. She said she believes there is a big problem of bullying at the schools in La Pine, and it’s not being addressed correctly.

Confer said she believes bullying, violence and suicide are all related, and students need to feel like they can safely speak up.

“Their world is changing with social media in ways that we don’t understand as adults, because we didn’t grow up with that, but our kids are. And they really have a better understanding of their world than we do,” Confer said. “We need to really listen, and that’s one thing my daughter feels is missing at the high school is being listened to and given that opportunity to voice concerns and just to tell someone what was going on and how she felt.”

District officials told parents safety is being addressed through an approach that focuses on planning, prevention, intervention and response.