On Monday, numerous parents from the Iowa community where a tragic school shooting occurred earlier this month voiced their desire for greater openness and preventative measures as the school board prepares for the return of kids.
Their remarks were delivered at a Perry school board meeting the day following Principal Dan Marburger’s death; Marburger had sustained critical injuries in the shooting.
Grace Castro said that “lives were lost due to our lack of preventative measures” as she blasted the school district’s practices. As “the absolute least you can do,” she recommended enforcing a clear-bag policy, installing metal detectors at school gates, and offering a temporary alternative to remote learning.
Her remarks were in line with those of numerous other parents, including relatives of the fatalities, who have been posting on the Perry Facebook page ever since the district’s announcement of its plan to reopen last week.
Additionally, Mark Drahos requested additional precautionary actions from the board. However, he did point out that administrators can’t possibly satisfy everyone. A no-bag policy, extra security measures like hall monitors, and a single-point entry to buildings were among the proposals he brought up in his conversation with a member of the school board, according to him.
“I understand the solution to this problem is not an easy fix, if it can be fixed at all,” Joseph Swanson stated. The improvement of safety protocols and the promotion of psychological wellness must, nevertheless, be given priority.
The conference was rescheduled from Sunday to Monday due to Marburger’s passing. After his stay in the Des Moines hospital, his remains will be returned to Perry on Tuesday by his closest associates.
Members of the neighborhood are being encouraged by his family to line the path in order to welcome him back home. The arrangements for the funeral have not yet been finalized. Students were having breakfast before class on the first day back from winter vacation in the combined cafeteria of the middle and high school when the attack started.
With the exception of the northern end of the middle-high school building, the gunfire outside the cafeteria persisted just within that structure. Eleven-year-old sixth grader Ahmir Jolliff was killed, while four children, two members of the teaching staff, and Marburger were among the seven wounded.
Marburger “acted selflessly and placed himself in harm’s way in an apparent effort to protect his students,” according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. In respect of Marburger, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds directed that all flags be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of his burial and funeral. Businesses, schools, and individuals were all urged by her to follow suit.
Parental worries about school safety and security, together with Marburger’s passing, have put the district’s reopening plans on hold until further notice. According to a school district Facebook post on Monday, school officials are reaching out to law enforcement and safety specialists for their expertise.
As students return to school, the district intends to station uniformed cops nearby. Mental health counseling is still available through the school system. As the district gradually returns to its regular schedule, extracurricular activities for middle and high school students will resume on Tuesday.
According to Facebook posts made by relatives of the victims, all of the injured students have been allowed to return home to Perry, save for Marburger, after the last wounded student was discharged from the hospital on Sunday.
It appears that the 17-year-old student who opened fire took his own life after shooting himself. Dylan Butler, the suspect, allegedly possessed a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun, according to the authorities. Additionally, a crude IED was discovered among his possessions, which the authorities neutralized.
Dylan enjoyed spending time outside and had a wonderful sense of humor, according to an obituary for Butler that appeared in Friday’s local newspaper. Even though he was choosy, his favorite foods were pizza, mac & cheese, and buffalo wings.
The family is planning a private burial, but the shooting is not mentioned in the paper. Several Perry residents have gone out of their way to express their sorrow to Butler’s family in the wake of the tragedy.
While speaking at the school board meeting, Ahmir Jolliff’s mom, Erica Jolliff, pleaded that Butler not be called a school shooter or a killer. He goes by the name Dylan. She speculated that the events of January 4 were set in motion by failing to treat him with dignity, permitting bullying, and referring to him by names instead of Dylan.
In addition, she demanded that the school system investigate the shooting thoroughly and devise measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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