East Lansing Public School Board Discusses Safety Improvements

By Lieza Klemm

EAST LANSING – East Lansing High School will see increased security after the school board

held a special meeting to explore upgrades in school safety. The special meeting comes after

several fights involving students and a gun falling out of a backpack.

After a security assessment in December 2022, board members received the report last week,

and used it in the creation of the safety plan. “We are going to get through this, we’re going to

figure it out, and we’re going to get

better,” Assistant Superintendent Glenn

Mitcham said.

The safety plan includes three

categories: immediate, short-term, and

long-term safety practices. Immediate

safety practices include the use of only

one door for student entry during school

Image via Dylan hours, increased supervision and
Lees, ELi
monitoring of hallways and bathrooms, and restriction on

hallpasses to reduce hallway traffic. “We expect to have these practices in place next week or

within the next 30 days,” East Lansing Public Schools Superintendent Dori Leyko said.

Short and long-term safety measurements incorporate the reinstatement of disciplinary

programs, collaboration with the East Lansing Police Department on safety practices, and

required de-escalation training for all teachers and staff.

Additional recommendations from the safety assessment include required identification for

students and staff at all times, changes in cell phone and backpack policies, reinstatement of a

school resource officer, and the addition of metal detectors at the entrances of the building.

Towards the end of the meeting, school board president Kath Edsall resigned from her position.

Edsall’s role on the board was scheduled to be voted on, but Edsall chose to instead willingly

step back from the position. This decision comes after accusations of violating board policies

and disregarding the concerns of parents, students, and staff in terms of school safety, in

addition to alleged bullying of fellow board members for having a minority perspective.

Trustee Monica Fink filed the

motion to remove Edsall from

the president’s position on the

board. “The bullying that I

have experienced on this

board for having a different

opinion is something that

should be addressed,” Fink

said.

During the public comment

section of the meeting,

students, parents, and ELHS community members shared their thoughts regarding the past

events and the proposed changes. “Many are claiming things used to be better around [East
Lansing] . . . East Lansing is still a great school district,” Norm Scott, a special education

teacher at MacDonald Middle School, said.

Image via Dylan
Lees, ELi
Parents of students in the district presented the board with their concerns. “Times

have changed so you need to change. Policies and rules need to change. Not metal detectors

and suspension policy,” Sam Hosey, a parent, said. Deborah Wheatus, a parent with two

children in the East Lansing school system, spoke to the lack of communication from the board.

“We felt like we were in the dark. I got most of my information from my son,” Wheatus said.

Sophomore Jessica Mielock verbalized her own worries. “I have spent 11 years in this district,”

she said. “I feel that it’s important to remind the school board that everyone who walks into this

building deserves a future and that it’s your job to make sure we survive.”

Sources
Glenn Mitcham - glenn.mitcham@elps.us

Dori Leyko - dori.leyko@elps.us

- Tel:5173337424

Monica Fink - monica.fink@elps.us

Norm Scott - Norman.Scott@elps.us

- Tel:5173337645