Dear Editor:
I read with shock the Town of Ponoka declined to contribute to the funding of a resource officer at our local high school, after having a gun threat at our school this year, two high profile teenage suicides in Canada and the violence that happened at the Sandy Hook school in the United States.
Town council decided in their infinite wisdom this was not a wise allocation of funds; I do agree the cost should spread to all the communities that have children attending PCHS but dismissing it as quick as was done has left me wondering how our council can sit on it, when their heads are so far up it, unless we are going to follow in our southern neighbours’ footsteps and arm our teachers.
The safety of our children, as every parent knows, is the most important thing of all, and even though my son will be graduating from high school this year, as a taxpayer I have no issues with an increase in my taxes to cover this cost. I have discussed this with other parents I know and we agree this is not something that should be dismissed so quickly. The presence of a member of the RCMP could be the deterrent of a tragedy all parents have come to fear.
A. Clarke