Public Comment Response -August

ID	Name	Question / Comment
Aug-01	Mary Bragg	Safety Concerns Thank you for sharing your concerns.
Aug-02	Meranda Wilkinson	Here’s a question What studies were used to determine that clear backpacks will make the school safer? why is it not all grades ? And how will bags used by employees be monitored for the concealment of weapons. And how will sports bags be monitored for the concealment of weapons? What are we supposed to tell our children as to why they can’t have the backpack they want and watch them cry over it. My plan was to tell them it’s so nobody feels left out by making everyone have the same bag, but wait I can’t use that because kindergarten and first grade will have different bags. Also the statement I made about the active shooting training being denied is from a very reliable source so I believe it to be true. Clear backpacks will do nothing and something else needs to be done. The kids backpacks are so heavy from having to carry back n fourth their chrome books everyday on top of all the other stuff they have to bring back n fourth. They don’t even do work anymore they’re Staring at a screen all day whatever happened to reading and writing? The chrome books should be left at school and the teachers should have charging stations for the kids to charge them. The only reason they can’t do that is because they have to have all these fans plugged in so the kids don’t pass out from the heat because they have no air ! We need to protect our kids and I know other parents feel the same ! Sincerely a very worried concerned mom As we are preparing for this school year, we are incorporating many strategies that will create layers of added safety. As far as we know, no studies or research are being conducted on using backpacks. This area of school safety is still relatively new, especially with the most recent events nation-wide. Districts all over are moving to new strategies and procedures in an effort to lessen the likelihood of a violent act coming into our schools. Though no single strategy provides a 100% guarantee of safety, it does add a layer of preventative behaviors. Clear backpacks makes it easier for our school personnel to look for any suspicious materials that may come in with a given student to cause a safety hazard. It is a layer of precaution for the benefit of all students and staff. High school, middle school, and mid-upper elementary students are the grade levels that we believed could manage the clear backpacks with their supplies. We will continue to review our plan in the coming year and revise or adjust for the next year as needed. Your suggestions on Chromebooks are helpful and they will be considered. Air conditioning is already being installed. All buildings have cooling rooms to start the year, and full air conditioning is already underway district wide. We appreciate your feedback and want to ensure a safe and successful school year ahead.
Aug-03	Mari Oeler	Dear School Board Members and Dr Kara Coglianese, Good evening! As we are approaching a new school year, I hope nothing but the best for our students, teachers, and all district employees. I am writing this in concern about the clear bookbag policy that you are putting into effect this school year. As I wrote you all on July 26th , 2022, I asked questions that didn’t get a proper response. Instead, I got a response from Dr Kara that stated, “Please keep an eye out for our district newsletter early in August where we will share many updates from over the summer.” Clearly, I asked if the students are required by the school district to use clear bookbags then what about the admins, teachers, support staff, school board members, and all visitors will they also be required to carry clear bags as well into any of our district buildings? I mean it’s only fitting since we are requiring our students to give up their rights. How will our district monitor the bags being used by employees for concealed weapons? Also, why is this only mandatory for 2 nd -12th grade? Are PreK, KDG, and 1st grade students not capable of bringing weapons into a building since they aren’t required to have a clear bookbag? Are you also going to require clear lunch bags, clear Chromebook cases, clear purses, clear sport bags, clear instrument case? I mean you get the point…. this is foolish!! Will you be monitoring all sport bags that come into our buildings or from opposing teams for concealed weapons? Where will the designated area be for these student’s bags that the district speaks of? Also, I know you put a $20 replacement fee into the student handbook, but since this is mandatory and if a child whose fees are waived will the district pay for replacements if the bag is faulty, breaks, rips or is lost or stolen? The main question I have is at the last Committee of the Whole Meeting Dr Kara you said that you looked into our sister schools to see what they were doing, but I have researched around the local area, and no one has said they are implementing clear bookbags. I would like to know what studies were used to determine that clear bookbags will make the school safer? Please site their origin and where I can find them. As of today 8/15/22, the school district posted on their social media account that, “our clear plastic backpack requirement begins on the very first day of school. All backpacks not meeting the criteria outlined above will be collected and kept in the school office, where the students can retrieve the backpack at the end of the day.” Now this contradicts that statement that was made at the COTW meeting on 8/9/22. I don’t recall the lady that was speaking at the podium that night, but she said that the backpacks will be handed out on the first day….so you mean to tell me you want all these students in grades 2-12 to come to school on the first day with no backpack? I can tell you this my child will come to school on the first day with his store bought bookbag that HE picked out because he is a 2nd grader and was super excited to have a “cool” bookbag this year. Have you looked at the comments on that thread? If not, I recommend you take the time and look at EVERY comment made by EVERY parent on that thread. Maybe even answer some of the comments and concerns. Let us know that you hear what we have to say! Just remember if you aren’t searching these backbags then are you really improving any of the safety concerns? Sincerely, Mari Oeler School safety is on everyone’s mind. As you know, there is not one single procedure put into place that will guarantee 100% security. It is built on a framework using a variety of strategies from locked doors, background checks for all visitors, conducting safety drills (fire, tornado, etc.) safety team, first responder teams, adding an SRO in our high school, security guards at each building and many others just to name a few. Each year, we review our safety measures and adjust them as new information or heightened safety concerns become available. As you watched the COTW meeting over the summer, the discussion about backpacks arose in relation to an incident that occurred in our middle school last spring with one of our students. It was a specific example of why a clear backpack would have assisted our school personnel in identifying the weapon earlier. We have learned from these situations and have identified preventive solutions so we do not have a repeat situation. Utilizing the clear backpack helps to limit the opportunities of weapons being brought into school. As was cited in the previous response, to my knowledge there is no research on clear backpacks. There is no ‘one size fits all’ to safety. It is more about combining safety policies and procedures in a variety of ways that reduce the likelihood of violent acts. I know there are more specific questions that you may have. I would encourage you to directly reach out to me to discuss your concerns more in-depth so you feel that you have a better understanding of all of our practices and procedures and how they were determined. You may reach me at 708-367-8310 or make an appointment to come in and see me. We do appreciate hearing from you and want you to know that your voice is heard. Dr. Coglianese

Crete-MoneeSchool District 201-U

Public Comment Response

2022-23 Public Comment Response