by County Council member Will Jawando , including that police should be called only in “the most urgent, life threatening situations.”“What I have said, and will continue to say, is that school security, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and teachers are the best trained adults to address and prevent student conflict,” Jawando said in a statement Wednesday in response to questions about the lawsuit.
The family’s attorney, Alexander Bush, said that the family attempted to privately settle with the county but that the county “very blatantly strung us along.” Schools Superintendent Monifa B. McKnight proposed bringing police back into schools after the shooting in January. Under the , the community engagement officers are not stationed at schools permanently but have access to a designated workstation at schools to use as needed.The lawsuit is seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be determined by a jury along with attorney’s and other fees. Thomas’s medical bills are approximately $350,000 and are expected to increase, the suit said.hosted a community forum Wednesday evening at answer families’ questions about the January shooting.
“We heard from families that they wanted clarity on the sequence of events that transpired that day, and to openly engage in dialogue on how we move forward,” the statement said. “We share the same goals in learning from this tragic experience, and continuing to prioritize safety and wellness within our schools.”