To address safety concerns at Gresham High School, the Gresham-Barlow School District held a safety summit yesterday. According to KOIN, the meeting was prompted by a recent incident involving an armed student and subsequent protests. The district aimed to rebuild its relationship with parents, students, and staff following a walkout organized by the Gresham Student Union earlier this month.
Last week, Ted Zehr was appointed as the interim principal of Gresham High School, following Erika Beddoe Whitlock's resignation, as per the summit, "some clarification of how things are going to be handled in the situations that have been coming up," mentioned Marcie, a parent of a former student reported by KPTV.
During the summit, held at Gordon Russel Middle School and attended by several hundred people, Gresham Police Chief Travis Gullberg presented the ongoing collaboration between law enforcement and the school district. In a statement acquired by Portland Tribune, Gullberg emphasized, "Your children are our community, and their safety is a priority for us."
Focusing on shared responsibilities, Superintendent James Hiu expressed gratitude that no injuries resulted from the incident, stating, "It takes everyone to create/maintain a safe and welcoming school environment." Feedback gathered through small group discussions among family members and staff is earmarked to inform any future policy changes, in line with the input received, attending the summit, said they felt heard, with her daughter Destiny commenting, "I think that this is a good first step to ensure my brother’s safety," as reported by Portland Tribune.
