Bellingham schools reevaluates lunch program inviting police, fire to eat with students
Bellingham Public Schools said it is reevaluating its lunch program that invites first responders to eat with the students, according to Bellingham Public Schools spokesperson Dana Smith.
Smith said the school district’s decision to put its first responders lunch program on hold was made due to the nationwide conversation happening about policing in schools. The decision, which was announced Thursday, July 17, comes after weeks of nationwide and local protests surrounding systemic racism and police brutality. Protests erupted after George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died in late May after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Smith said the program had already been temporarily paused when schools across the state were required to close March 15 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith said with preparations and precautions being taken to resume in-person classes in the fall, the program would have remained on hold due to limitations being placed on visitors entering the schools, and that it seemed like a natural time to review and reevaluate the goals and possible outcomes of the lunch program.
She said the school district is now taking the time to review the goal of the program, how those goals can be measured and whether it is the best way to build positive relationships between students and first responders. She said the district hopes to include more voices at the table when discussing the program.
“The intention behind the program was to build relationships between kids and first responders in a welcoming setting,” Smith said. “It was certainly well-intentioned and we love our first responders and really support them. It was right to invite them in, the impulse is good and positive to have a spot for building relationships, but with a limit of having armed officers in our building.”
The first responders lunch program, which started in the 2018-2019 school year, included inviting police, EMTs and firefighters from various Whatcom County agencies, including the Bellingham Police Department, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and the Bellingham Fire Department, to have lunch with the students, Smith said.
It was optional, not required, for students to engage with the first responder, according to information on the school district’s website. The first responder lunch program is funded through grant money, which covers the $4 cost of the meal, the website states. When first responders would attend, they would wear their uniforms, Smith said.
The school district provided information to Whatcom County first responders when lunchtime at the various schools was held and they could choose to show up, Smith said. The district did not keep track of how many times first responders showed up or which specific agencies they were from, she said.
Smith said the district has heard both support and concerns from staff, students and families about the program. She said the district has also heard directly from some first responders and their families.
Smith said the district values law enforcement and the work they do in the community. She said the district didn’t want the move to give the impression that their work or partnership with the district isn’t valued.
“We want to be very clear that our intent in pausing the lunch program is not meant to imply that our officers in Bellingham are not good people. We have the utmost respect for the work that our officers and first responders do in serving our community. As we said in yesterday’s message, they are community members alongside us, and many are parents in or alumni of our schools as well,” Smith said. “This is part of our larger conversation about the role of police in schools, and ... we’re doing a lot of listening right now. We’re doing a lot of listening to a lot of different people, including law enforcement.”
“We want to take a step back, with the lunch program in particular, to take a look at the intent, the goals and its effectiveness and bring more voices to the table,” Smith added.
Law enforcement reactions
The Bellingham Police Department has participated in the lunch program since it began, according to Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy.
She said officers would participate as often as their call load would allow, with some going weekly and trying to visit different schools each time. Officers of all ranks participated, including Bellingham Police Chief David Doll, who would visit Fairhaven Middle School. Murphy said Doll got his food-handlers permit to be able to help serve the students lunch.
Murphy said she believes the program benefits the students, as it allows for a relaxed and positive engagement between officers and students. She said some students have lined up wanting to sit with the officers, give them hugs or ask to take photos with them.
“Sharing a meal and conversation is an excellent manner to get to know someone and break down barriers. Engaging with youth, chatting about their interests, allowing them the freedom to ask questions and listening to their thoughtful conversations is a wonderful, fulfilling way to spend a lunch hour. Many officers who participated in the first responder lunch program have sweet stories to tell afterward,” Murphy said. “The positive impact of this program definitely goes two ways, the kids love it and the officers cherish it.”
Murphy said Bellingham police understand the uniform can be intimidating to some, and that’s why officers take the opportunity to be at the schools to share a meal, play games, to listen and “to break down the barrier and show kids who may be scared, who we are, that we care about kids and their well-being is paramount to us.”
Murphy said the department loves being part of the community, sharing time with students and building on the school district’s Bellingham Promise.
In addition to Bellingham police, Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo said deputies from the sheriff’s office have also participated in the program at some of the school district’s more northern schools, as well as in other Whatcom County school districts’ lunch programs. He said the students and deputies love interacting with one another, and that the deputies try to take advantage of having the ability to interact and form relationships with students.
Elfo said he remembers when a law enforcement officer came to his school when he was in the 5th grade and that it spurred him to pursue a career in the field.
“Our philosophy is children are the most valuable asset in our community. We place a huge emphasis on protecting them and building good relationships. In today’s world where there can be violence on campus, our deputies patrol school zones to try to deter bad things from happening,” Elfo said. “We want kids to be able to approach us.”
Elfo said when deputies would attend the lunch programs, they would go in marked cars and in uniform. Elfo said he has personally participated in the lunch program in the Ferndale School District.
Elfo said in addition to the lunch programs, the sheriff’s office has other avenues for reaching out to children, such as Project Santa Claus, where off-duty deputies take children shopping and also provide families with food for Christmas dinner.
“Those interactions are just so valuable, and you see these kids three to four years later and they remember who you are and come up and talk to you. People want community policing and this is community policing at its finest,” Elfo said.
Elfo said deputies also are involved in youth sports programs.
At various local rallies and protests, people of color living within Whatcom County have spoken about their experiences with various local law enforcement agencies and police brutality.
Elfo said he understands that some people don’t have positive experiences with law enforcement, but that he wants the community to know that the sheriff’s office values integrity and accountability.
“We are here to serve the entire community. As I said earlier, children are our most valuable asset in the community. We’re here to protect them. We’re here to serve them,” Elfo said. “We really want to be their friends and build trust where it doesn’t exist.”
The Bellingham Fire Department did not return requests for comment.
