By Guy Page
A Grand Isle man who has urged Vermont lawmakers to require stronger security at school entrances says last week’s deadly school shooting in Bend, Oregon, demonstrates that school boards have two choices: harden their buildings against armed intruders or close their schools.
Brian Pearl, who has publicly advocated for removing, covering or reinforcing glass windows and doors at Vermont’s public and private schools, made the statement via email Monday, October 19, to Vermont Daily Chronicle.
Pearl was responding to the October 15 shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, where a 16-year-old former special needs student reportedly entered the building armed with a shotgun and killed three children and a teacher. The shooter was subsequently shot and killed by an armed bystander. Two other victims were critically injured.
Pearl contends that the vulnerability of glass doors and windows makes schools easy targets for armed attackers.
“It is the glass windows and glass doors that need to be banned from all public and private schools, not only guns,” Pearl wrote.
“My petition to the Vermont State Legislature provided a reasonable pathway to end these massacres,” he said.
Pearl said school boards should be required to address the physical security of their buildings rather than relying solely on restrictions on firearms.
“School boards have two options. One, obtain the resources to harden the perimeter of their facilities. Two, close the school,” Pearl wrote.
Pearl also cited the recent closure of Trinity Baptist School in Williston, a private Christian school that opened in 1971. He claimed the school closed after he withdrew his two children and publicly raised concerns about school security.
“Trinity Baptist School in Williston chose the second and closed after I withdrew my two children from their school and made the issue public by my petition,” Pearl wrote.
However, there is no independent evidence establishing that Pearl’s complaints caused the school’s closure.
According to a July report in the Williston Observer, Trinity Baptist School announced it would close after 51 years of operation. Parents had been notified during the previous winter that the school would not reopen for the coming academic year.
The school, located on Mountain View Road and affiliated with Trinity Baptist Church, had experienced enrollment challenges for years.
Enrollment had fallen below 50 students during the previous decade, nearly forcing the school to close. During the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment rebounded to about 100 students as families sought alternatives to public school restrictions.
Paul Dame, a St. George resident who previously taught algebra at the school and enrolled his children there, told the Observer that parents were given little explanation for the closure.
Pearl’s claim that his security concerns prompted the decision has not been confirmed by school officials.
In a video promoting his school security proposal, Pearl urged parents to demand action from their local school boards.
“The greatest honor a man will experience is the physical protection of his children,” Pearl said.
“Parents, demand your school boards use your tax money to improve the security of your school buildings, or if they can’t, close it.”
Pearl also pointed to homeschooling as an alternative for parents who believe their children’s schools are unsafe.
“Home study is available to all the state’s children,” he said.
Pearl directs interested parents and lawmakers to his YouTube material, identified as “Brian Pearl 4695,” for more information about his proposal.
His proposal raises questions about the cost of securing existing school buildings, many of which have extensive glass entrances and windows, and whether perimeter improvements alone would prevent an armed attack.