BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
The Caldwell Police Department plans to maintain a public safety presence at the Caldwell School Board meeting scheduled for Monday, Feb. 13.
“Due to the amount of attention surrounding the upcoming Caldwell School District meeting on February 13, we want to make the community aware that CPD is committed to ensuring that everyone attending and gathering is safe,” Char Jackson, spokesperson for the city, said an email.
“We’ve been in communication with the district, and should there be violence or threats of violence, we will take appropriate action against those individuals,” the statement reads. “We encourage those attending to be peaceful.”
Caldwell Chief of Police Rex Ingram said in the statement, “We are committed to keeping everyone safe and facilitating any peaceful demonstrations in our city; however, if you choose to come to Caldwell and try to cause problems or violate the law, I will ensure you that we will hold you accountable.”
The Caldwell School Board ended its Jan. 9 meeting early in the middle of testimony about proposed policy 3281 regarding Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation, as reported by KTVB. The policy would instate a series of measures aimed at promoting a safe learning environment, including developing plans around student bathroom use in tandem with parents, and policies about student pronoun use.
When Sen. Chris Trakel told the board they would face litigation if the policy passed, Chair Marisela Pesina called for him to refrain from making threats, but he continued to speak. At that point, the board moved to adjourn. Caldwell Police officers had to stand in between board members and those in attendance, with many calling board members names and leaving noisily, as reported by KTVB.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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