Bend School District: Three weeks after Silver Rail shooting
Superintendent Steven Cook addresses funding gaps and communication delays during a public forum held three weeks after four people died at the elementary school.
By Bianca Shevchenko ·
Parents in Bend, Oregon, gathered on Thursday night to confront school leaders about the security measures and emergency protocols that failed to prevent the loss of four lives at Silver Rail Elementary. The meeting occurred three weeks after a gunman killed three students and a teacher while seriously injuring another student and a teacher.
The forum provided a venue for the community to question the district’s response. One parent noted that a father at Silver Rail had to risk his life to protect others. She specifically mentioned a teacher who threw a cell phone at the gunman because it was the only object available in a gun-free school zone. That parent directed the frustration toward the voters who approved the gun-free policy.
Angie Moreland of the National Mass Violence Center attended the session to support families. Moreland explained that mass violence creates collective trauma in addition to individual suffering. Experts from the center were present to offer resources to those still processing the event.
Financial resources became a central point of debate. Community members challenged Superintendent Dr. Steven Cook to find the budget for additional protections, such as more school resource officers. One attendee argued that a budget is irrelevant when a family has lost a child. Cook responded that Bend-La Pine Schools did not qualify for specific extra funding until recently. He stated that the district has four to five applications currently out for federal grants intended for situations like this.
The panel also fielded questions about how quickly information reached families. One parent asked why it took over an hour to notify parents. She stated that she received the alert after approximately an hour and 15 minutes. She described the delay as a major failure in emergency communication.
Superintendent Cook acknowledged the concerns and said the district would continue to review every aspect of its response. The district stated that any questions left unanswered during the meeting will be addressed later. Officials hope to maintain this open dialogue with the community moving forward.
