Curtains instead of doors: Chisago County school safety concerns
Classrooms safety concerns: Curtains used instead of doors
Parents of students at Chisago County Public Schools are concerned that the curtains separating classrooms do not provide enough protection. FOX 9 's Corin Hoggard has the full report.
CHISAGO COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Parents in Chisago County are voicing concerns over school safety as classrooms lack proper doors, leaving children vulnerable.
School safety concerns
What we know:
Parents and teachers are worried about the lack of doors in third-floor classrooms at Chisago Lakes Middle School.
The current setup uses curtains as barriers, which many feel are insufficient for lockdown situations.
Curtains instead of doors: Chisago County school safety concerns
Parents in Chisago County are voicing concerns over school safety as classrooms lack proper doors, leaving children vulnerable. FOX 9"s Corin Hoggard has the story.
The failed $64 million tax referendum in May aimed to address these safety issues. However, with its failure, the school district is left with the same security measures as before.
Community reactions
What they're saying:
"Something happens in this hallway, there's really no way out, and for them to get in it's very easy," said Brennen Norelius, a student at Chisago Lakes.
Rebecca Rivard, a concerned parent, shared, "It's scary. And I can tell you right now, my son is scared... And with Annunciation, everything that happened there, it just puts these safety concerns to the front."
Political discussions
The backstory:
The mass shooting at Annunciation has prompted discussions for a special session focused on school safety.
Democrats are pushing for combined school safety funding and a ban on so-called assault weapons, while Republicans, including Rep. Max Rymer, prefer a narrower focus on hardening school targets.
Gov. Walz has indicated that a special session is unlikely without a consensus on gun safety, delaying potential state funding until February. The school district plans to revisit the referendum in February as well.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear if an agreement on gun safety and school funding will be reached in time for a special session.
The Source: FOX 9's Corin Hoggard spoke with multiple sources, including parents, students and Minnesota lawmakers, for information contained in this story.