Candidates Talk School Security: Mission Viejo City Council Survey

MISSION VIEJO, CA — This election season, Mission Viejo residents in all five city districts will have the chance to vote on who they want to represent them on the Mission Viejo City Council.

In a questionnaire released by community organization Stop The Monster, all 12 candidates responded to a series of questions regarding local issues surrounding Mission Viejo.

In anticipation of the November election, Patch will be posting the candidate responses to Stop The Monster's questionnaire throughout the rest of October.

To learn about where the candidates stand on sober living homes in the community, click through to read the previous Patch coverage.

The third question on the questionnaire addresses school security and safety.

As of July 2022, there have been 314 mass shootings with 27 of them being school shootings. This summer the US Congress passed a gun control bill with bi-partisan support. Signed into law, the bill provides 12.5 billion dollars for mental health and school security upgrades.

If elected, what is your vision and commitment to School Security and Safety?

READ MORE: Candidates Talk E-Bike Safety: Mission Viejo City Council Survey

District 1

Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik, District 1 Candidate: No response.

Linda Shepard, District 1 Candidate: I am committed to school safety. At the Sep. 27, 2022 City Council meeting, Michael Beekman gave a thorough presentation on CUSD school safety measures, including Raptor background checks of visitors, lockdown drills, lock bloks on classroom doors to quickly lock a room to keep a threat OUT, digitized school floor plans available to the OC Sheriffs, training of staff on DEE (deny access, evade, engage), scenario training with partner agencies, and much more.

Mr. Beekman stated that SVUSD has a similar plan. This is encouraging. Mr. Beekman also stated that Mission Viejo has more School Resource Officers than other CUSD cities. I fully support the school districts, county emergency services, OC Sheriff and OC Fire Authority collaborating to keep our children and school staff safe.

Robert "Bob "Ruesch, District 1 Candidate: Several years ago, the City and the OC Sheriffs offered a course on Parenting Teens and I attended. It was eye opening on the temptations our teens face and provided excellent suggestions for parents to keep the lines of communication open with their teens. I would like to see this offered again.

My vision of school safety and security is providing a safe and secure place for our children to be able to learn and participate is school activities without fear of being hurt by outsiders and classmates.

• Better teacher and administration training to identify potential mental health issues or troubled students for evaluation.
• Entry onto school property only through secure access gates, monitored by trained staff and through securable entry points.
• Campus surveillance equipment both for perimeter view and at all entry points.
• A plan in place at each campus and regular drills with staff, students, and all emergency services for what to do in case of an active shooter including known location of first aid kits for injury.
• A rapid response system allowing immediate notification to all classrooms and open areas for students and staff to shelter in place and at the same time direct communication to police services.
• Armed school safety officers regularly assigned to the high school and middle school campuses at random times for additional support with keys to be able to gain immediate access to school grounds.

District 2

Brian Goodell (incumbent), District 2 Candidate: We’ve been fortunate in Mission Viejo to avoid the plague of school violence raging across America, and around the world. One reason for this is that the City, and the current City Council specifically, has voted to fund additional School Resource Officers (SRO’s) through our contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. We fund more than double the amount that other cities in our area fund. Our SROs create a presence and atmosphere of safety and respect on the school campuses in our city.

When I am re-elected, I will continue to support funding of resource officers at this higher level. I will also continue to support supplying additional resources such as Stop-the-Bleed kits for each school site, additional training of what to do in an emergency for staff, students, and first responders, door locks and other barriers that keep attackers out of classrooms, and the coordination and training of multi-agency task forces to prepare for the worst. Keeping students and school staff safe will remain my highest priority.

Stacy Holmes, District 2 Candidate: I worked for forty years in public education in positions from teacher aide to county superintendent. I was hardening the perimeter of Martha’s Vineyard schools back in the 1980s. High on my list of campaign positions is safety, particularly in the schools. My campaign is endorsed by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Fifteen years ago, some public schools logged in and out every person on campus up to the minute whether the person was a student, employee, family member or visitor. Mission Viejo does not have to figure out something new. Rather, we must take this threat seriously enough to implement equipment and procedures other public schools already use.

Besides a hardened perimeter, schools must have systems that will lock all doors in a single instantaneous action. Untold numbers of victims would be alive today if all schools implemented this equipment.

Coordinated team responses must be practiced to provide immediate physical and mental safety. I will see that we can massively scale up the number of counselors and other crisis responders in a matter of seconds if needed. We must help students, families and school employees now who are understandably fearful when they enter their school campuses.

District 3

Ed Sachs (incumbent), District 3 Candidate: In 2019, I founded Secure OC Schools, a 501c3 nonprofit to help schools better prepare for the worst and that includes property assessment. We’ve donated 30 stop-the-bleed kits to each of our high schools, and 6 kits to our middle schools in Mission Viejo.

We have trained 35 schools and places of worship with age-appropriate active shooter training in Texas, Washington and California. Currently we are working with O.C. Diocese and 6 schools. I meet with both Capo and Saddleback school districts, and I am the councilmember that has advised council and moved for the addition of 2 SROs since I have been on council. I worked with Lt. Q Vuong and sheriff deputies providing breech tools and bleed kits in their patrol units.

Recently I have been spending more of my time on the mental health component around early identification of potential shooters and finding them help. Working with OC Supervisors we will be opening a new mental health facility in Irvine. I am working for an additional facility in S. County.

You will not find anyone running for city council more versed on school shootings, who is actively engaged and not simply talking about the topic.

Greg Raths (incumbent), District 3 Candidate: My top priority is for the safety and security of our residents, especially our children. I support our police, especially our school resource officers who protect our children at our local schools.

Cynthia Vasquez, District 3 Candidate: Non-Participant By Choice.

District 4

Ken Golemo, District 4 Write-In Candidate: When I was 13-years-old in 7th grade I witnessed a school shooting... It was a direct result of bullying. I walk my dog around the park near De Portola Elementary and see all these beautiful children laughing and running around without a care in the world.

I also find myself thinking, "What If?" It saddens me that we have to think about these possibilities.

We can fence in every school but if a shooter has an agenda they will find a way. I truly think that we need a full time armed security officer on the premises not dressed in Swat gear but uniformed to be identifiable. Security cameras (although good) can only do so much and with the type of weaponry out there, the whole event can be over in seconds.

Bullying is still very prevalent today but mental conditions run a spectrum from isolation, poor home environment, social media influences and violence in society. It's impossible to get it right 100% but as parents, educators and neighbors in our communities we must "at all times" watch for any signs that a person (child) may be in crisis.

Terri Aprati, District 4 Candidate: No response.

Patricia "Trish" Kelley (incumbent), District 4 Candidate: I have always promoted safety in our schools. As a Parent-Teacher Association President for several years at three different schools, I helped to implement many safety measures. As a Council Member, I have continued to promote and fund school safety.

I spearheaded the effort to begin the School Resource Officer (SRO) program in Mission Viejo. We began with one SRO and have added over the years; now we have 6. I continue to prioritize Police Services and the SRO program in our budget. The City provided Stop the Bleed kits and funding to each school to use at their discretion for cameras, fencing, etc. We also fund crossing guards at all of our schools.

I will continue to advocate for safe schools, and encourage the City Police Services to work closely with the school districts to conduct lock-down drills, maintain maps and floor plans for all schools and to work collaboratively on emergency scenarios.

I have also encouraged both districts to apply for the funding from the recent bill for mental health and school security. I will continue to stay apprised of school security through regular meetings to discuss school emergency preparedness.

District 5

Jon Miller, District 5 Candidate: My commitment to school security and safety is absolute. I take a multi-faceted approach based on research by "Everytown for Gun Safety" and others. This includes working with our school boards to create evidence-based crisis assessment and prevention programs in schools, and implementation of expert-endorsed security upgrades (like entry control and locks).

My vision also includes trauma-informed emergency planning and avoiding practices that may harm students.

My security and safety vision goes beyond our schools. I am very proud that our campaign has been awarded the 2022 Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinction. As your Council member I will do all I can to keep Mission Viejo safe, including committing to advocate for gun violence prevention and govern with gun safety in mind.

Wendy Bucknum (incumbent), District 5 Candidate: I will continue and enhance our partnership with schools and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in the following ways:

• Continue regular meetings with Public/Private School District’s leadership, school safety personnel, and law enforcement to ensure the latest in school safety protocols are implemented.
• I currently serve as a liaison to both our major school districts and have for several years.
• Seek federal/state grants to bring funds to our city/schools to enhance safety, school access upgrades and provide proactive mental health services to our students.
• Partner with private entities that provide resources for protection and security.
• Continue and enhance our funding of dedicated school resource officers and crossing guards. We are the only city that provides this level of service for our students and families.