First mention to now: Timeline of arming trained guardians in Brevard Public Schools
On the first day of school in August, it will have been just shy of 10 months since the idea was first broached to expand Brevard's guardian program and allow certain district employees to carry firearms.
Discussions on broadening the program were held at several meetings toward the end of 2023, though little movement was made publicly after a January work session. It wasn't clear that the program would be expanded in Brevard until an email to district employees was sent out in April. Despite public outcry, a memorandum of understanding between the board and Brevard County Sheriff's Office was approved at a June meeting.
Here's an overview of the timeline of the program in Brevard.
Initial discussion; confusion over teacher involvement
At the Oct. 24, 2023, board meeting, Board Chair Megan Wright — who had recently visited Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School — floated the idea of implementing the state's guardian program at Brevard Public Schools, saying she felt the district could improve its safety measures. The idea lacked specificity, with Wright clarifying that it would be voluntary, but not saying specifically who she intended the program to include.
"By no means when we say, '(Expand) the guardian program in Brevard County,' does it mean a teacher now must carry a firearm," Wright said at the Oct. 24 meeting. "It's 100% voluntary. They can choose to do so if they want to be a part of it."
The move, particularly with its lack of specifics, prompted an outcry from the public at subsequent board meetings. Teachers, students, parents and other community members have spoken at multiple meetings, with more than a dozen individuals speaking out against the move at a Nov. 14 meeting.
At that meeting, Matt Susin said arming teachers was not part of the plan.
"Nobody has talked about it," he said, going on to add that the idea had been "perpetuated by a news organization and an off-the-wall organization."
2024: Action taken is largely behind the scenes
Little public board action was taken after the outcry in November and December, apart from Chief Operating Officer Rachad Wilson presenting data on how other districts use the guardian program at a Jan. 23 work session, where Wright directed the district to assess the potential cost of training staff and how many staff members might be interested in the program.
On April 12, an email was sent out to BPS employees from Ryan Dufrain, assistant superintendent of human resources, stating that guardians could be trained through Brevard County Sheriff's Office and that the district was in search of "current volunteers who are interested in serving as a school guardian in addition to their official job duties." Members of Brevard Federation of Teachers and anyone assigned to a classroom would not be eligible for the program, and those with military and law enforcement background were encouraged to volunteer.
That email contained a survey allowing employees to indicate if they were interested in the program by May 1, which the district would then go on to use to select volunteers.
Finally, at a June 11 board meeting, a memorandum of understanding between BPS and BCSO was approved. This came after the MOU was posted, then removed, then reposted mid-meeting to the meeting agenda, and after members of the media and the public had been told that it would not be voted on until a future meeting.
The MOU forms a partnership between the sheriff's office and the district and explains that employees will be trained through STOMP, or the Sheriff Trained Onsite Marshal Program. Training was set to begin in July, with guardians set to be in schools for the 2024-2025 school year, according to the district.
Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@floridatoday.com. X: @_finchwalker.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Guardian program expansion: Why Brevard Schools will arm employees
