BHS, McBride students set class walkouts

A month after the Valentine’s Day shooting that killed 17 at a high school in Florida, students across the country have scheduled a walkout from classes to protest gun violence and honor those who were killed.
The walkout was set for 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 14, at Belleville High School and McBride Middle School in the Van Buren Public Schools and was to last 17 minutes — one minute for each of the people who died in the Florida shooting.
School Supt. Pete Kudlak told the school board at the March 12 meeting that all three police departments — Belleville, Van Buren, and Sumpter — have been meeting with the students to set up a safe walkout.
He said the event is student-led and would include signs and chants. He said organizers were on both sides of the gun control issue.
Supt. Kudlak said the students are kids and they want adults to figure something out.
“They want to be safe,” Kudlak said. “It’s really non-partisan. They are exercising their choice.”
Kudlak said the walkout was first scheduled to go out to the tennis courts at BHS, but then the students decided the 40-degree weather expected was too cold and they changed their destination to the school Commons (cafeteria). He said McBride students still planned to go outside.
A press release sent by Rebecca Mackey, a parent of one of the student organizers, said students planned to leave class at 9:55 a.m., with the protest beginning at 10 a.m..
Once students have gathered, event leaders Kaitlyn Plummer, Emily Wrath, and Chloe Frye-Anthony, along with other students, were to read the names of those killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on Feb. 14 in Florida.
The reading of the names was to be followed by a moment of silence. Student leaders encouraged their classmates to bring signs expressing personal views on gun violence and school safety.
The plan was for students to return to their classes immediately following the event. Teachers were to stay in their classrooms to teach those who didn’t walk out and those who missed their classes would be expected to make up the work, Kudlak said.
Kudlak said the school administration supports participation in democratic activities, however, it is not openly advocating for or participating with these students.
In an email statement, Kudlak said, “The role of the staff at the walkout will be solely to keep our students safe. District staff members are in no way assisting in the implementation of the walkout, nor had any role in planning the event.”
Students were not to be allowed to leave the school grounds during the protest and parents and outside visitors were not allowed to participate in the event.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the school board:
• Heard Kudlak report that there has been discussion for the last two to three months on purchasing barricades for school doors, if students and teachers have to stay in their rooms. He said there are three versions on the sheet from the security systems’ company, depending on whether the door swings in or out or is an outside door. He said they have not counted the doors yet, but believe there are 400 doors which should cost $40,000;
• Heard Kudlak report that Van Buren Township is helping the school district get the antidote Narcan, which counteracts an opioid overdose and will train all the administrators in its use. Kudlak said the district hasn’t had a problem with that, but will get the training in use of the nose spray;
• Watched a presentation by Jane Stalmack and Mary Ellen Vago on the STEAM open house on Saturday, Feb. 3, that involved technology demonstrations from all the schools and attracted 300 children, adults, and staff. The next STEAM event is planned for Feb. 2, 2019;
• Watched a presentation by Scott Wilsey, director of Belleville New Tech, on what New Tech is doing, including several hundred podcasts, weekly posts, three students interviewed by National Public Radio, the ongoing Zombie 5K run, the Goose Feces project at Horizon Park, Project RED with the Michigan Farm Bureau, Relay for Life and oncology education, and other projects. The newest project is to go out to business owners and the community to ask what issues they are having that New Tech could help solve. He said they focus on project-based learning and want to have authentic projects;
• Heard board member Alison Bennett explain the 50 pages of pending board policy updates, many of which have to do with complying with state law and were recommended by NEOLA. This was the first reading. A second reading and vote will take place at a future meeting;
• Approved the resignations of non-instructional employees Connie Disney of McBride Middle School after 10.5 years of service as of March 5; and Linda Missant of Owen Intermediate after 19 years of service as of March 16;
• Approved the resignations of teachers Shanna Currie of BHS after four years of service as of March 9; Bernadette Garren-McDonald of Owen after less than one year as of March 16; and Elizabeth Wathen of Owen after 1.5 years of service as of Feb. 28;
• Heard Financial Director Shareen Barker announce that they put out more than 450 letters concerning payments to employees and former employees for the deductions taken from pay that later proved illegal. She said they are about half done; and
• Heard Human Resources Director Abdul Madyun say the district is preparing for the Michigan State Police audit of fingerprints. He said in every district audited so far the MSP has found something not right and the district is trying to get everything ready for them. He also said he is working with the union on a tentative school calendar for the next school year and they are trying to get rid of some of the half days. He said because of the common calendar, next year spring break will be two weeks past Good Friday.