We recognize that when we are talking about outdoor education there is already a risk that is embedded in that. We want to honor that, but at the same time, it was not about taking risk, it was more so about safety issues that we are talking about,” he said.
He said certain procedures can be followed, such as sanding down tree stumps and applying polyurethane before students sit on them.
“We are committed to doing that to support schools when they have outdoor spaces,” McCray said. “You just cut the tree, and they have these splinters and all of that.”
Work also can be done with the Leopold-style benches to make them safe. “They weren’t anchored down and they could provide a safety hazard for students,” McCray said.
McCray said the district needs to have an orderly audit and have conversations with those involved.