Bend parents seek more school security after Silver Rail Elementary shooting
Two weeks after four people were killed at a local school, families return to classrooms while advocating for increased safety measures.
By Petra Murphy ·
A teenager shot and killed four people at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend on October 15. The school will remain closed through at least November 6. Students enrolled at other campuses in the Bend-La Pine Schools district have already returned to their desks.
Melissa Grinols sent her children, Della, 4, and Dale, 6, back to school in the days following the incident. The family lives in a quiet neighborhood in Southwest Bend, about three miles from the site of the shooting. Grinols works from home, and her husband Blair is a general contractor. Their flexible schedules allowed them to stay home with the children when classes were first cancelled.
The first day back for Dale, who attends Elk Meadow Elementary, was emotionally difficult for his mother. Grinols noted that a law enforcement officer was posted outside the school during drop-off. She said the presence made the situation feel safer, though the underlying fear remained.
Grinols described the experience as scary because parents generally expect schools to be safe places for their children. Before leaving, her daughter Della, who attends a nearby preschool, told her she wanted to appear brave to her friends. Grinols said she knew her daughter did not truly feel that way inside.
After dropping Dale off at the rear entrance of his school, Grinols noticed a safety officer was absent. This differed from the previous day when an officer had been stationed there. She signed a petition started by other parents that calls for additional resource officers at every campus.
Grinols attended her first city council meeting following the shooting. Several parents and community members spoke at the meeting about their fears and the need for better security. One resident asked why schools do not have security cameras to protect children, similar to cameras used to monitor traffic or banks.
Two weeks after the shooting, Grinols said the emotional intensity of drop-off and pick-up has decreased. However, she stated that feelings of sadness, anger, and fear still linger. She observed mixed reactions among other parents, with some feeling that returning to routine helps with grief while others feel the community is moving on too quickly.
Grinols said she is not ready to pretend the shooting did not happen. As the midterm election approaches on Tuesday, school safety has become a top priority for her. She stated that the issue will influence her vote, noting that the tragedy has brought more attention to how laws are made and funds are distributed for school security.
