Today, three College Hill Elementary School staff members (Casey McConnell, Kathleen Endsley, and Jacqueline Henning) write to the Wichita Eagle with this complaint about their school, and a question too:
But like many schools in the district, it does not have a safe room for use in a tornado warning. …
It has been stated that storms most often happen when school is not in session. Our question to the citizens of Wichita is this: Should children be put at risk in the hope that they will beat the odds? Our answer is a resounding “no.”
(See Lack of safe rooms has become gamble)
Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?
Now, read the first sentence of this letter:
With the passing of the 2000 bond, College Hill Elementary School benefited from much-needed building additions.
That’s right. USD 259 added new space to this school as part of the 2000 bond issue.
Was safety a concern at that time? Couldn’t a safe room or other arrangements for the safety of children and staff have been made at that time?