What’s worse? Is it worse that Bend-La Pine Schools allowed fire protection devices to be jammed so they did not work at Summit High School? Or is it worse that the school board has no clear plans on its agenda to discuss the safety problem at Tuesday’s meeting?

It’s an awful tie for the worst.

Don’t let the school district sneak this by. How did it happen?

How will the district hold staff accountable?

How will the district fix it?

Go to Tuesday’s meeting Nov. 13 and demand answers.

Parents have every right to expect that schools will be safe for their children. School district employees do, too.

Why then did Bend-La Pine Schools allow the fire alarm system and smoke dampers to be tampered with at Summit? Fire alarms were covered and concealed. Who thought it would be OK to build a trophy case so that an alarm is partially covered? Why is it OK to tape over alarms?

Smoke dampers are supposed to close in a fire to prevent smoke from circulating through the building. Less than a third of them at Summit were found by an inspector to function correctly. Some were even jammed open with screws to prevent them from closing. Who approved that?

Maybe school board members believe the problems are being fixed. Perhaps, they don’t want to be seen as making a fuss over something that may hurt their chances at being re-elected. But the school board is supposed to represent the public. The board is failing to do so by not planning to publicly discuss what went wrong, how the district is holding staff accountable and update the public on what is being done.

Be there Tuesday night at 5:30 at the district’s Education Center, 520 NW Wall St., Bend.

The meeting room is up the stairs and toward the middle of the building. Demand answers during the time scheduled for public comment. There will be a sign-up sheet. Comments must be limited to three minutes.