Letter to the Editor: Push back on school threats, violence by voting, uniting

As a Battle Mountain High School alumna, and a parent of two Battle Mountain High School graduates and a current Battle Mountain High School senior, Eagle County Schools has my ongoing gratitude and unwavering support.

On Wednesday at 10:29 a.m., like many of you, I received the text message, “Bomb threat at BHMS….” Like many of you, I paused my workday and reached out to my child to make sure he was safe and able to get home. This is the second threat of unconscionable violence in under two weeks.

What I didn’t do is run to social media and start pointing fingers. At the same time we’re trying to improve if not regulate our kids’ behavior on social media, as adults, we’re repeatedly showing irresponsible and bad behavior. 

The actions and communications from Eagle County Schools, our superintendent, and our high school principal have been responsible and swift. Leadership expressed support and inspiration to keep staff and students safe. 

Finger-pointing without all the facts – on any issue but especially on the issue of keeping our kids and educators safe in our schools – and creating distracting lines of attack based on irrelevant subject matters in a moment of crisis are what I believe are destructively chipping away at our ability to collectively work together as a community and take meaningful action. 

I have family and friends enrolled in or teaching at institutions here in Eagle County and across the state. How am I supporting them? By advocating for measures such as commonsense gun safety measures; use of Colorado’s extreme risk protection order (red flag law) when appropriate; increased school funding; enhanced school safety measures; equitable access to a full and diverse curriculum; and increased access to behavioral health experts – and these are all tools currently available and supported already in our very own Vail Valley. We should work together to use and enhance them all.

I am so sorry, kids and educators, about the decisions you’ve had to make over the last couple of weeks concerning your safety. If you are home today and are 18 years old, I ask that if you haven’t already, please register to vote at https://www.sos.state.co.us/voter/pages/pub/olvr/verifyNewVoter.xhtml. Taking action to vote where you are eligible in local, state and federal elections is the most effective way to affect the change you want to see.

Kristin Kenney Williams

BMHS Class of ’85

EagleVail