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Board, teachers and parents press district for action after repeated fights at Lanphier High School
Summary
Springfield School District 186 trustees, the superintendent and community members discussed repeated student fights and safety concerns at Lanphier High School; the superintendent described safety measures already in place and the board asked for focused, visible leadership and community collaboration.
President Miller and members of the Springfield Public School District 186 Board of Education heard extended public and board discussion Monday about repeated fights, threats and safety concerns at Lanphier High School.
Superintendent Gill reviewed districtwide security measures already adopted and said the district is committed to working “within the letter of the laws that we have to follow,” citing special-education protections and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). She listed measures the district has added in recent years, including daily metal-detector screenings at all middle and high schools, upgraded security cameras, secured entrances and a dedicated district head of security. Gill said the district has bolstered social-emotional learning, added behavior analysts and braided behavioral supports in elementary and key buildings, funded “peace rooms” through a city grant and operates a Safe-to-Help hotline monitored outside normal hours.
The discussion focused on Lanphier after several speakers said violence there has reached an unacceptable level. President Miller urged the superintendent to make the school a “priority,” asking her to spend extended time in the building, be visible to staff and students and return to the board with a written list of recommendations and a plan for community input. Miller said he wanted administrators to document what is working and what is not and to provide a menu of possible interventions for the board’s consideration.
A series of public commenters — including Nicolette Harris, a 22-year district educator and parent; Aaron Graves, who spoke as a union representative; and Patty Purdy, a district teacher and parent — urged districtwide teamwork rather than blame and asked the board and community to back school staff. Harris said silence can be mistaken for agreement and urged community collaboration: “If we want real change, we have to ask not what the district will do, but what will we all do?” Aaron Graves asked the board to prioritize a small set of buildings, naming Lanphier as one, and recommended a community-driven set of priorities and success measures. Purdy emphasized that violence is a districtwide problem — not limited to any single school — and urged support for students and staff across buildings.
Board members repeatedly referenced state law as a constraint on discipline decisions. Board members and the superintendent specifically discussed Senate Bill 100 and existing legal criteria for expulsions and disciplinary removals; several trustees said those statutory limits can result in repeated incidents before an expulsion becomes possible. Miller and other board members said they want actionable, on-site leadership at Lanphier and solicited ideas for community brainstorming sessions to build a broader coalition of supports.
No binding policy change or disciplinary rule was adopted at the meeting. The board directed the superintendent to increase visible leadership and to return with specific recommendations and community-engagement plans for Lanphier and two additional buildings to be identified. Trustees also asked administration to continue and expand communication about measures that are working so that positive progress is visible alongside problems.
The board and the superintendent emphasized the district will continue to operate within federal and state law, including IDEA, when considering disciplinary actions for students with disabilities. Several board members and public speakers called for joint work with community partners, faith groups and the county’s state's attorney office where appropriate to coordinate supports for students.
Miller and at least two trustees volunteered to help lead community brainstorming sessions, and the superintendent said district staff would convene student voice groups and other stakeholder meetings. The board asked administration to provide follow-up reports on any operational changes and to include metrics or proposed success criteria in the coming recommendations.
