The School Safety & Security Advisory Board currently consists of thirteen (13) individuals appointed by various officials. Although the board may have challenges to establish a quorum for its required meetings, reducing the size and composition of the Board reduces the stakeholder representation to the detriment of the stated purpose.
The bill would remove seats reserved for:
• A public-school parent.
• A public-school teacher.
• A public-school superintendent.
• A public-school trustee.
• A representative from the Idaho State Police.
• A representative from the Idaho Chiefs of Police Association.
• A representative from the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association.
• A representative from the Idaho Office of Emergency Management.
• A representative from the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association.
These are the stakeholders who are closest to and have direct experience that would be most valuable in formulating any policy recommendations.
The new six-member board would consist of:
• An emergency responder, appointed by the governor.
• A member at large, appointed by the governor.
• The state superintendent or a designee.
• A State Board of Education appointee.
• A member of the Idaho House.
• A member of the Idaho Senate.
These proposed members are far removed from the day-to-day experience of school operations and safety.
If reaching a quorum is truly the issue we are trying to solve, can this legislation be redrafted to change how to reach a quorum by dividing it by elected/state officials and stakeholders? It does not seem prudent or productive to remove all the expertise direct experiences from the Board. Any policy recommendations would be lacking and could result in unintended consequences, which are dangerous in dealing with school safety.