To the Editor:
Like a page pulled from Kafka, Weston parents received a letter from the superintendent on Feb. 19 notifying us that we would be losing one of our two security guards just five days after news of the school shooting in Florida. We have since been sent multiple follow-up emails assuring us of the precautions in place and the comprehensive collaboration strategy with the Weston Police Department.
However, while the numbers, the strategies, the plans, and the technical considerations were explained, there wasn’t a single mention of either man by name whose job is being cut: Mr. James Fisher and Mr. Scott Pennoyer.
The reduction of either of these men’s jobs to a statistic or dollar sign is a gross insult not only to the breadth of work they do on a daily basis but also an oversimplification of what it means to have a secure campus and community. For my family and for the many who feel the same as we do, Mr. Fisher and Mr. Pennoyer are the faces of Hurlbutt — the first two people our children see upon entering the school and the last ones on their way out. They are two members of my child’s “school family.” Not only do I have every confidence that they put my child’s safety before their own, but I trust their instincts and commitment to all aspects of their roles as evidenced by their daily and unwavering displays of safe, kind, and responsible leadership. I value their knowledge of the comings and goings of the regular delivery people and various other adults who frequent the school campus.
I also believe that following the recent threats at Staples High School in Westport and at Weston High School, we cannot underestimate the power of two sets of ears and eyes who know our children and our families listening and watching out for our collective safety. What message are we modeling when we show our kids that members of our community are expendable?
Katherine Ryan
Kettle Creek Road, Weston