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Board votes 4–3 to disband Ad Hoc Safety and Security Committee after heated debate
Summary
After several board members and community advocates urged keeping the committee, the Robbinsdale Area Schools board voted 4–3 to dissolve the Ad Hoc Safety and Security Committee, saying many of its functions are now handled by district staff and standing teams.
The Robbinsdale Area Schools board voted on Sept. 23 to dissolve its Ad Hoc Safety and Security Committee, overriding pleas from some directors and community members who argued the committee should remain and be made permanent.
The resolution cited the district’s existing safety and security infrastructure — a director of safety and security, a director of risk management, district and building emergency teams, student safety squads and other staff and committees — and recommended thanking the ad hoc committee for its service and disbanding it.
Director Kim Holmes announced she would vote against dissolution and urged the board to consider making the committee permanent. Holmes said the ad hoc group had identified gaps in policy and practice, brought in school‑safety programming such as Sandy Hook Promise, elevated student and staff concerns about vaping and bathroom safety, and worked on improvements such as cameras and two‑way radios.
"I will be voting no on dissolving this critical committee," Holmes said during public debate, outlining the committee’s work on policy 05/2529 (staff notification of violent behavior), notification thresholds for the board, and student‑led safety work.
Board discussion included differing views on whether the committee’s prior work had been successfully transitioned into standing teams. Director Helen Bassett urged a “crosswalk” between the committee’s work and existing district systems before final closure; Director Renee Bowman said the committee’s role had been fulfilled and that standing staff and reports now provide the oversight the board needs.
Roll‑call vote: Director Bassett voted no; Director Bowman yes; Chair Greta Evans Becker yes; Director Aviva Hillenbrand yes; Director Holmes no; Director Caroline Long no; Director Kenneth Wuto yes. The motion passed 4–3.
What happens next: The resolution directs staff to disband the ad hoc committee and thanked members for their service. Directors who opposed dissolution said they would welcome a future structure that includes quarterly monitoring or a clearer handoff so the board can ensure policy gaps identified by the committee remain addressed.
Ending: The board’s action dissolves the ad hoc committee but does not prevent future standing or ad hoc structures; several directors asked administration to outline how the committee’s outstanding work will be cross‑walked to staff teams and reported back to the board.
