Separate effort aimed at entire East County

April 20, 2001

EL CAJON -- The Grossmont Union High School District is putting together a commission to cull lessons from last month's shootings at Santana and Granite Hills high schools and suggest ways to make the schools safer and healthier for students.

The aftermath of the shootings has spurred a separate effort by Grossmont Union trustee Ted Crooks to rally the East County community to form an independent, nonprofit organization with the goal of making the area the best place to raise children.

Both aim to create something positive from the tragedies.

The district task force, called the Lessons Commission, will review research and interview parents, students, school staff and experts to determine how the schools can improve campus security, Grossmont Union Superintendent Granger Ward said.

Its membership will consist of eight to 12 residents who are not district officials. Members will represent a broad range of professions, including education, law enforcement and medicine, Ward said. Trustees recently gave Ward the initial go-ahead to assemble the commission.

Ward said he doesn't have specific ideas about programs the panel should investigate, and he hopes the members will come up with the ideas based on the panel's interviews and research.

"One of the things I don't want to do is limit what the possibilities are," he said.

The commission will be open to input from the entire community, Ward said.

Sandy Gibson, PTA president of El Cajon Valley High, said she would welcome an opportunity to share her ideas, such as using metal detectors on campuses.

"I think he's on the right track talking to parents, community and the staff," Gibson said.

In addition to the commission, Ward has invited superintendents and board representatives from all East County school districts to talk about ways they can coordinate efforts to teach youths to respect each other and deter violence. He hopes the group will agree on key ideas that children should learn and find programs that address those subjects, from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Crooks said he didn't have a good answer for the many people who asked him what they could do after last month's school shootings. Now he said he does.

He is suggesting the East County residents create a nonprofit, nongovernment organization called the Coalition for the Children of East County that would set goals for improving the lives of local youths. Instead of providing services for them, it would act as a clearinghouse for what already is available, such as recreation and social services, he said.

The organization would issue a report card highlighting how well the area meets its goals for children and what needs improvement. Crooks recently began pitching the idea to local leaders and community groups, and said people have been largely supportive.

"This is not to say that East County isn't already a great place to raise kids," but the good things that are happening aren't getting enough attention, he said.

Crooks said moving quickly to create concrete goals would help make the effort more than just talk.