Tamaqua parents and officials are still at odds after last week’s four-hour school board meeting to discuss Policy 705 which allows policy to arm staff.

At the meeting, a representative for the FASTER security training program in support of the policy, while parents, who formed Tamaqua Citizens for Safe Schools, offered alternatives and a plea to the board to rescind the policy.

In the aftermath of the meeting, board members and members of the citizens group shared their thoughts on the presentation and the issue.

Board members Tom Rottet and Nicholas Boyle, along with Jessica Tirpak and Kelly Lewis, both parents who support arming school staff, spoke in support of the policy.

“I was very impressed with the passion, the research, and the organization of our parents’ presentation. They certainly did the necessary and appropriate research to present alternative strategies to protect our children. Some ideas have merit, and as this process evolves, I’m confident the board will look to employ such measures,” Rottet said.

At the meeting, the citizens group proposed a system to identify and address at-risk students, technology options for school security that could help staff send silent alerts districtwide and help police identify and track a shooter, improved screening of people entering the buildings and random use of metal detectors.

Jessica Tirpak, who has three boys attending Tamaqua schools, said, “The parents’ presentation provided me with additional safeguards that can be implemented in addition to Policy 705 and further safeguard our children.”

“The technology segment impressed me. We are already looking into getting quotes on some of the ideas. The acoustic detection system was roughly quoted at $225,000,” said Boyle, board member and security committee chairman. He took offense, though, to the group’s opening remarks. “They broke the original agreement, which was for both sides to present and not to attack each other or their ideas. They broke that agreement with their opening remarks,” he said.

Lewis, whose daughter is a sophomore at the high school, believes there is no choice but to move forward with the policy.

“Society is dictating this. We are in a different world now,” she said. “I was impressed with the parents’ diligent research and I respect what they did.”

She cited a 1992 stabbing incident that occurred at Tamaqua Area High School while she was attending the school. In that incident, Marvin Faust was stabbed to death by classmate Donald Confer inside the high school building.

Lewis was impressed with the “technology available that could help in crisis situations.”

She agrees that mental health needs to be addressed, but doing so “won’t make a dent in my lifetime,” she said. “We need to protect these kids right now.”

Ideal solution?

Rottet said the solution would be, “Implementation of all safety measures including, but not limited to, anonymous employee concealed carry. I was especially impressed with the discussion on the active shooter detection system. I personally want to further investigate the practicality of this option and am hoping to attend a webinar on its merits early next week.”

Boyle said the ideal solution would include “a multifaceted approach involving mental health support, technology that detects and calls for help, and as a last line of defense, an armed staff. It also needs to be able to be funded. We can’t rely on grants that dry up in three years.”

Members of the citizens group were asked similar questions about the FASTER presentation, as well as their thoughts on ideal solutions and what they believe the ultimate outcome will be. Rather than respond to the questions, however, the group chose to issue a statement.

Paisley, one of the leading members of the group, said, “The conversation needs to shift from simply one of two solutions, either arming teachers or doing nothing, and focus more on the many other things, some that cost nothing, that can keep our students and teachers safe.”

The group released a statement:

“We are grateful to the board for giving us the opportunity to present the research we found as well as plans that are safer, proven alternatives to the board’s current policy at last week’s town hall. We will not be engaging in any debate regarding whether a policy to arm teachers and staff is a safe and viable option. All studies and recommendations from experts state clearly that it is not. Despite numerous invitations to do so, neither the board nor individual supporters of the policy have presented any research to show that arming teachers and staff is recommended by experts or agencies that have studied prevention of violence in schools.

“We will continue to insist that the school board rescind this policy as we work with interested school district residents toward safer, practical and financially viable alternatives over the next weeks and months. We welcome any community members who would like to join in the work to improve school safety to contact us via the Facebook page, Tamaqua Citizens for Safe Schools.

The ultimate outcome?

“I believe that there will be a compromise between the district and parents group which would include implementing some of the ideas presented by the group while allowing Policy 705 to move forward in some form,” Tirpak said.

“Ultimately I believe it will be implemented, not only in Tamaqua, but also in many more school districts across the nation. Similar policies are already in place in about 15 states across the nation. It’s unfortunate that we need to even consider what we need to do in the event of an active shooter situation, but society today has demanded that we take proactive steps in the interest of our children’s security. I believe that in a few years, similar policies will be the norm in school districts across the nation,” Rottet said.

Boyle agreed. “The policy will be as successful if not more successful than the other states that implement this.”

The board will meet at 7 tonight for its regular monthly work session. The meeting is open, but no public comment is taken.