Parents, staff at Crestwood school demand better safety measures after gun found

Apr. 21—Parents and staff at Nathan Hale Intermediate School in Crestwood are demanding better communication and safety measures after a student with a gun was discovered, prompting a lockdown.

Officials with Cook County Elementary School District 130, which Nathan Hale is part of, did not respond to Southtown requests for information after the Wednesday incident.

But at a school board meeting Thursday, the board said details, including the student allegedly involved, could not be discussed.

A lockdown was announced at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday after the gun was found, according to a spokeswoman for the Service Employees International Union, which represents custodial staff in District 130. She said the gun was not loaded.

At Thursday's meeting, parents and staff said improved safety measures are needed.

Shea Marshall, state division director for Local 73 of the SEIU, said some custodial staff could not hear the announcement of the lockdown because they were in a school maintenance room that lacks a public address system.

"As of this moment, we have not received a notice that anything occurred yesterday," he told school board members.

The union represents more than 50 employees in the district.

One teacher who spoke during the public comment period praised the efforts of school staff in their response, while others said better safety measures are required.

"Our world has changed and it is time for District 130 to respond to that change in a way that will protect our children, our faculty and our staff," one parent said.

She said her son sheltered in a locker room area while the lockdown was in place.

Another parent said she wanted to see metal detectors installed at all district schools.

District 130 serves about 3,000 students from Alsip, Blue Island, Crestwood and Robbins at 12 school sites, according to the district.

"We're done being ignored about our concerns and we will not stop until we know you are doing everything in your power to protect our children," the parent said.

A staff member at Nathan Hale said the lockdown was a "traumatic event that tested us all" and asked that metal detectors be installed.

"How many more dangerous items go through our doors unchecked or unseen?" she asked.

mnolan@tribpub.com

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