In regard to the article "Altoona reviews visitor policy," school board member Cheryl Rupp apparently objects to following the established rules of the Altoona Area School District.
She is quoted as saying that the requirement to register as a visitor when entering the schools of the district inhibits her ability to perform her duties as a member of the school board.
Rupp states, "I am not a security threat."
Neither am I. Nor are the vast majority of people who visit schools throughout Altoona and the entire country. However, the security steps put in place are important in protecting the students and staff of the schools.
Allowing certain individuals to bypass these security steps could create a situation in which some individuals will be allowed to enter school buildings and move freely about without the staff knowing who they are or what they are doing there - exactly the situation the visitor guidelines were intended to prevent.
Rupp also is quoted as saying "board members, then administrators" referring to the hierarchy of the school district.
I believe she omitted at least two members of the hierarchy that proceed the board members. First, the students of the school district should be the primary focus of all the school board does. The other group Rupp failed to identify is the citizens/taxpayers/voters of Altoona who support the school district.
I would like to say, thank you to Rupp for her hard work and diligence in performing her duties. However, she is not above the rules, and I expect her to follow them just as the rest of us do.
Joseph Remacle
Altoona
