By James Lomuscio
UPDATE (adds clarification of McGovern remarks, Whitney comment) Michael McGovern, the Board of Education’s vice chairman, told the Board of Finance Wednesday night that as a parent and citizen he was disappointed with the slow progress the school system and the town have made in working toward a comprehensive school security plan.
Michael McGovern: “it’s taken too long.” Contributed photo
“I’m pleased we’re at point of where we’re actually getting proposals and RFPs (requests for proposals) and moving forward, but we have to recognize that it’s taken too long for what are really kind of common sense suggestions to be made, to be implemented,” McGovern said.
“By the time we turn a screwdriver in the schools, we will unfortunately see the one year anniversary of the attacks at Sandy Hook,” he added.
Several months ago the finance board approved $100,000 to hire Kroll Security Advisors to perform a security audit of the town’s schools. The approval stipulated that the town’s police and fire departments be involved in the process.
At the Board of Finance meeting, Avi Kaner, who is also the Republican candidate for second selectman, said that he and first selectman candidate Jim Marpe have been asked questions about an update on the security audit. Because of that, Kaner said he had invited Elaine Whitney, school board chairwoman, to the meeting to dicsuss its findings.
Whitney, a Democrat who is running for relection, did not come to the meeting, something Kaner called a “bad precedent,” but instead sent a letter to board members, which Kaner read in part.
The letter mentioned security updates estimated to cost $1.2 million and the fact that the schools have applied for more than $200,000 in a state grant. Among the updates mentioned in the letter were new lock set for all of the schools’ interior doors.
“The reason it’s taken so long frankly is that the Board of Ed and the town haven’t worked as closely together as they need to,” said McGovern, a Republican also up for election. “And as a parent, I have full expectation that that is a thing of the past.”
He then pointed to a recent Board of Education discussion about revising its suicide prevention policy.
“I suggested, ‘well, have we discussed this with the police department?,’” he added. “Because what really is at issue here is a public safety issue.
“And the answer was, ‘Well not yet, we haven’t done that.’ But that has to be the first impulse of the board and the administration as opposed to an after thought.
“I think it is the expectation of parents that the Police Department, Fire Department that will from this point forward work hand-in-glove on issues of the safety of our students and staff, and anything short of that is going to be unacceptable.”
Whitney, in an email today to WestportNow, said: “The Board of Education continues to work closely with the Westport Police and Fire Departments on all aspects of school security and provided a detailed update to the Board of Finance.
“In addition, the Board of Education has voted unanimously and in a nonpartisan manner on all school security steps. Playing politics with the security of our schools now will not be in the best interest of our students.”
I was present at the Board of Finance meeting on Oct. 2 and saw a public meeting turned into political theatre.
The Board of Finance chair (and candidate for second selectman) put school security on his agenda as a “discussion” item even before the BOE asked for funding. This gave the Board of Education vice-chair (and a candidate for reelection) ostensibly speaking as if he were just a parent, an opportunity to criticize his own board on matters that the BOE, including himself, had unanimously supported.