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Safety and behavior top candidate agendas as finalists propose officers, mental-health supports and community-driven practices
Summary
Candidates said safety is the top priority for Clark County schools, urging improved public-safety officer integration, mental-health staffing, daily practice of emergency plans and targeted supports for students with escalated behavior.
All three superintendent finalists framed student and staff safety as the district’s primary responsibility, outlining a mix of school-based public-safety officers, preventive supports and community engagement.
Joan Ebert said health and safety are “number 1 always,” calling for practiced emergency plans and stronger campus relationships between principals, police and teachers. Ben Scholdiner described Lansing’s model, where public-safety officers are sworn, uniformed but unarmed and integrated into schools; he highlighted metal detectors, one-point entry and community buy-in that led the community to say they “feel safer.” Jesse Walsh emphasized trained campus monitors, bolstered social work and targeted supports at the building level.
Why it matters: Candidates linked safety to learning outcomes — students won’t learn if they don’t feel safe — and recommended both operational changes (entry systems, cameras) and human services (social workers, counselors, wraparound supports) rather than only punitive measures.
Notable specifics and disagreements
- School public-safety models: Scholdiner described sworn officers in Lansing who wear uniforms but do not carry guns; he credited relationships and community trust for improved safety. Ebert and Walsh supported integrated police models but emphasized that officers should be part of a broader safety and health strategy.
- Mental-health and prevention: All candidates recommended strengthening tiered mental-health supports (tier 1–3), adding social workers and counselors, and using prevention strategies to address early behavioral issues – particularly in elementary grades where multiple speakers noted behavior challenges after COVID.
- Emergency planning and drills: Ebert urged that plans not sit on shelves and should be practiced. Walsh highlighted the role of campus monitors and early reporting by staff as prevention tools.
Quotes drawn from the forum
"Health and safety, number 1 always," Joan Ebert said when asked about district security.
"If there are reports of violence, you have to figure out where it's coming from, get to the root of it," Ben Scholdiner said, urging data-driven responses.
Ending: Finalists advocated a mixed strategy of personnel, training, community partnerships and built-environment upgrades. Board and district leaders must weigh trade-offs between visible security measures and investments in mental-health and staffing supports.
