Bend schools resume classes amid parental protests and calls for tighter security

The Bend-La Pine School District reopened all campuses on Wednesday, except Silver Rail Elementary, which remains closed after a former student killed three children and a teacher and injured two others. District officials have deployed extra counselors and stationed a police officer at each school at the start and end of the day, aiming to restore normalcy for students. However, parents like Kristan Banks have chosen not to send their children back, questioning whether the heightened police presence is merely symbolic.

An online petition launched by a Silver Rail parent has attracted more than 1,500 signatures, calling for a resource officer at every school, regular security reviews, a parent-led safety committee, and mental-health interventions. Trey Heiss, whose second-grader daughter is still out of school, supports the petition and hopes the board will act at its November 10 meeting. While some families return, many remain anxious, balancing gratitude for new safety steps with lingering fear and grief.