Letter: Ridgefield school decision is wrong

I was extremely disappointed to read that the Ridgefield School District has hired armed guards. What a travesty!

I have always supported the school district, having lived in the area since the late 1940s. I am also a retired educator. There are many ways to keep kids and classrooms safe. I am wondering if this is just a “knee-jerk” decision made by a few.

I have many questions about that decision but three specific questions.

o What other ideas were generated and discarded before the superintendent/school board made the extreme decision to hire armed personnel?

o I read in The Columbian that the community was positive in its response to this. When was the community involved? Was there any community input?

o Why was the Ridgefield police force not notified or involved with this decision?

I can’t imagine what must be going through a child’s mind watching a guy with a gun watching them. While I applaud the logical security steps that were taken, hiring people with guns was not one of them.

Cathy Boyer

VANCOUVER