LEE COUNTY, Fla. — While the Lee County School Board discussed implementing the guardian program, which allows volunteer staff members to be armed in schools it came with board members asking a laundry list of questions.
Their main concern was over a current proposal giving the superintendent, which is not an elected position, the final say in the application process with no possibility of an appeal.
Some members feel as if this takes away some of their checks and balances. "We don’t have a job description where we can put some guard rails in place," said Chris Patricca, who represents District 3.
Patricca expressed her guardian program concerns regarding the draft language in the district's policy. “I’m not comfortable with an elected superintendent being the be-all, say-all, end-all," Patricca said.
The end-all decision meaning who is selected in the initial application process. During the discussion, District 1 Rep. Samuel Fisher asked who would be a better fit.
“That’s a really good question," Patricca said. "I would think that I would want someone with law enforcement expertise involved in the final decision.”
“I get what you are saying but the sheriff is also an elected official, so it will be up to the voters," Fisher responded.
Under the Lee County proposal for the guardian program, volunteer staff members would go through around 160 hours of training with the Lee County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) to be armed with a gun during school hours.
LCSO will oversee volunteers and play a major role in the selection process. However, the proposal gives the superintendent the final say in the initial application process with no appeal.
"That individual who would be elected is still in charge of the operational issues of the school district," said Lee County Schools' Superintendent Christopher Bernier.
Bernier said even though the superintendent is now an elected position, he still feels the person who has the job should make the decision; clarifying that applicants not having the ability to appeal refers to applications that were denied.
However, some board members feel the final policy should have more parameters.
"All we have is this policy, and that’s it. It just feels like free rein not knowing who’s going to be sitting in that seat you occupy right now," Patricca said.
This was the first reading of the proposal.
