Open Letter to Dr. Bruce Borchers, Oak Ridge Superintendent: Protect Our Students and Teachers

I will post the referenced materials (the memo from the chief of police, the FERPA communications and documentation on the ousted principal) shortly.

If you are one of the parents, school staff or students, past or present, that has experienced the problems I’ve referenced, please contact  Russel Langley at russl68@gmail.com. 

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Dr. Borchers,

Shortly after the Sandy Hook tragedy, Oak Ridge city and school officials began discussing the need to shore up security within our schools. Your Board of Education (BOE) immediately demanded the city provide an officer in every school while simultaneously declining our police chief’s offer to conduct the risk assessment needed to identify facility and policy vulnerabilities. Our police department has also repeatedly offered to provide safety/emergency training to your staff. All of those offers have been declined by members of your administration.

Seven months later, we have made very little progress. At the center of it all is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was initially drafted months ago to address the lack of cooperation by school administrators and their frequent interference with requisite police work. I am told that school attorneys refuse to agree with the parameters that, at their very core, enable our officers to uphold the law and maintain the safety and security of the public.

The incidents that have led to the need for this MOU are disturbing and give me reason to fear that the original emphasis of protecting our children from external threats is less of a need than that of protecting them from internal threats.

Upon my request for additional details, our police chief, Jim Akagi, provided council with a memo (SRO Letter)dated May 9, 2013 in which he states that “ORS staff has been reluctant at best, and in some instances obstructive in their interaction with ORPD personnel.” The memo goes on to cite the following examples:

• A disagreement brought two sets of parents to the school who assaulted each other and then assaulted the current lone High School SRO. No assistance was provided by school officials.
• Disciplinary matters were attempted to be handled “in house” by school officials and when it came to the attention of the Police Department and information was requested for criminal concern review, info was denied.
• Timely reporting of matters of drugs, guns or other dangers in school, most times occurring the day after or through informal notifications by students.
• Reluctance to share information by school officials for fear of violating Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) rule now requires approval from higher level school officials or attorneys.
• Recognition of Police department responsibilities to investigate actions outside of, but involving school system (i.e. past employee suicide by employee outside of school grounds).
• Responsibility of schools to report all abuse matters to Child Protective Services should be coordinated with the police department to insure safety of students off campus
• Trespassing in school at inappropriate hours was not reported or pursued by school officials when known
• School staff witnessing of events must be approved before talking to SRO when reviewing cases
• SRO was not included in disciplinary hearing authority reviews of assault on SRO nor advised of student readmission to school.
• Delays for obtaining information requiring formal “subpoena style” processes to be used

The police chief and our city manager have shared with me some of the stories behind these examples as have countless parents, school staff and students. The picture they paint is one of an inner city school system run amuck. I am convinced that all of our children are at risk of potential assaults, administrative negligence and/or drugs.

I’ve heard so many stories of assaults occurring at the middle schools and high school that I am heartbroken. There is an obvious need for discretion, but let me assure you that my use of the word “assault” is not an exaggeration. And as alluded to above, these attacks were not always initiated by students nor have they been limited to any particular economic or social group. Parents have appealed to the authorities and are often left helpless because of the lack of cooperation by school officials.

A great number of parents have approached me with concerns regarding administrative negligence because they find no one within the administration willing to take responsibility. One of the most severe cases involves a current employee. Last year, without explanation, a principal was removed from her position three weeks before school was out and placed as a teacher at one of our middle schools. Though her rumored actions were tantamount to child abuse, when pressed by parents, the BOE refused to provide the public with an explanation or any indication that the matter would be investigated.

I have received highly credible reports that drugs are rampant in many of our schools. The problem is worsening as your administrators thwart police efforts to combat drug use and sales. Not only that, but citizens have reached out to the BOE and offered to bring in programs and groups to help educate our children in the absence of DARE or any other anti-drug program. Rather than embrace these ideas and work towards implementing workable solutions, the BOE simply ignores these offers of help.

When reading all of this, one might question how things could be so bad. How could anyone tolerate this level of danger facing our children? One need only talk with some of the hundreds of departed teachers and parents to find that the answer is fear. A culture of terror has saturated our school system and it is so powerful that rather than fight, teachers leave quietly in droves at year end and parents discretely move their children into private or home schools.

Though you are new to the job, I urge to you to make safety your absolute top priority. I’ve tried to allow time for the ORS administration to work through some of these issues, but with two of our schools beginning the new school year this month, I can no longer remain silent. From one community leader to another, I implore you to restore safety, order and honor in our schools. Please start by allowing our police officers to do their job.

Trina Baughn