Powder River Examiner -

The Broadus School Board met for their December monthly meeting on Monday, with all members in attendance except for Shasta Madsen, who was not able to attend due to the dreadful road conditions on Monday evening.

Principal Ternes told the Board about the addition of a couch to the student lounge, followed by Activities Director Mike Richards, who gave a report on how Broadus athletics may look in the future. A few highlights of the report include the option of including 5th graders in junior high athletics (most schools in our area currently allow 5th grade participation – some even allow 4th graders to play JH ball), and the addition of a JV football schedule next fall.

The Board accepted the hiring of Charlanne Lemke as the BPA coordinator, and learned that Mary Washburn, Special Education Teacher of 41 years, will be retiring at the end of the year.

Next on the agenda was the possibility of including 8th graders in the high school cheerleading program. Including JH students as cheerleaders would mean more opportunities for younger students, and fill out the cheerleading ranks – currently three HS students are out for the activity. While cheerleading is certainly an athletic event, it is considered an “activity” under MHSA rules, as opposed to a sport. This designation carries a number of stipulations, but according to the rules JH participation is allowed. Currently Broadus allows JH participation in the HS band, and brings JH Band members to tournaments. The same rules would apply to cheerleaders – that is, they would not miss school except during tournaments, as both the band and cheerleaders play at home but not on the road.

The Board moved and passed a motion to allow JH participation in HS cheerleading.

An agenda item to consider classified staff salary and benefits was tabled, with the reason cited as more discussion needed to be made with the classified staff. Superintendent Jim Hansen will meet with the staff, and the Board’s negotiating committee to look into the subject.

The final agenda item was to consider the first reading of a Board Policy to begin the purchase and issuance of a non-lethal self-defense product to staff.

The product, known as Reflex Protect, looks similar to a squirt bottle, but instead of being used to water plants, its purpose is to fend off an attacker.

With the increase in school shootings across the country, school boards are looking at ways to help the schools defend themselves, and arming the teachers is one option.

The Reflex Protect product offers a non-lethal option for self-defense, spraying a stream of CS gel – in essence tear gas. Similar products are used by riot police, and anyone who’s been through military basic training knows the enjoyment of running out of the gas chamber, various bodily fluids emanating from their orifices after inhaling CS gas.

This product would not be CS in aerosol form, but instead in gel form, which helps to protect bi-standers from the effects of the CS, does not blow away in the wind, and sticks to the target, further incapacitating the target.

The bottle has a range of 5-7 yards, and an “antidote” would be available to treat innocents who may have been accidently sprayed during an incident. One spray is supposed to provide around fifteen minutes of incapacitation. Training is available from the parent company, “Reflex Red Storm, LLC”, which is based in Missoula.

Apparently the product has been used in two situations in hospitals where attackers were threatening staff, with both employments being successful. This information comes from the company itself and has not been independently verified.

The board discussed the efficacy of such a device. Coming within 5-7 yards of an aggressive person wielding a dangerous weapon in order to spray them with a squirt bottle is a task easier said than done, and employees would certainly need training in not only the product’s use, but the mindset needed to engage an attacker in order to employ it quickly in a terrifying scenario.

The secure storage of the unit was also discussed, as was the cost – looking on the website the price for a single unit is $50 for a 5 ounce can, and $30 for a 2.5 ounce can. Each can has a five year shelf life.

The board discussed who in the school would have access to the bottles, as well as where the bottles would be stored. According to Superintendent Hansen, some other schools in Montana are currently employing the product, including Cut Bank and Jordan.

The board moved and approved the first reading of the policy, which will allow staff to be trained on the product, and a purchase to be made following the second reading and implementation of the policy.