April 20, 1999; 15 victims
Columbine H.S.
April 16, 2007; 32 victims
Virginia Tech
Dec. 14, 2012; 26 victims
Sandy Hook Elementary
Feb. 14, 2018; 17 victims
Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S.
May 8, 2019; 1 Victim
Highlands Ranch STEM
7.7 minutes
Average S.S.P.D. Response Time
Somber facts paint a vivid picture of a troubled society dealing with mental illness, fatherless homes, and decaying moral values. Too often our children become collateral damage, emotionally and physically, as these situations play out.
On a local level we have the rare opportunity to effect change on an issue that could have life and death consequences. On Tuesday, May 21, the public will vote for new incoming members of the Saratoga Springs Board of Education (BOE).
While many important topics will be in play, I think the most important is the operational status of the school security and resource officers. It is my strong opinion that we need to re-arm these individuals and assure they receive quality ongoing training. While I am not going to rehash all my points on this topic (For that, see my October 25, 2018 editorial), I will say that I have found no salient points to the contrary.
Armed security is used to protect our money, our nation, our elected officials and our celebrities. Don’t we owe the same to our children? Our children are our most precious commodity, our most valued citizens and our stewards to the future.
Therefore, it is incumbent on us to vote for the ‘Saratoga Parents for Safer Schools’ candidates: Dean Kolligian, Shaun Wiggins and Ed Cubanski. These three individuals all have a strong background in security, and they are all devoted parents who want nothing more than to assure their children come home safely every day. Realistically, is there anything more important to a parent?
-Chad
