Saratoga Springs parent Kara Rosettie is one of a number of parents calling on the district to add more school resource officers to their buildings.

"This is our reality now. School shootings are happening, mass shootings are happening," said Rosettie.

This comes a week after the city council approved a resolution supporting strengthening security measures, and stand ready to assist in providing additional SROs.

"Yes, we should work on mental health; yes, we should put money into that. But we also need to harden our schools as well as work on the soft side," said Rosettie.

Last month, the board of education voted to take away guns from security monitors on school grounds. Many parents have continued to urge the board to reconsider that decision, including during Tuesday's meeting.

"We are disgusted that elected officials in a role designed to promote the safety and well being of children have instead chosen to play politics," said an attendee at the meeting. 

The district currently has one armed resource officer at the high school. Despite pushback from attendees like Rosettie, some students do not believe adding more guns is the solution.

"I think the solution is dealing with the lax gun laws that are the source of the culture of fear that makes us need to have a meeting like this in the first place," said student Margo Moran. 

Some parents also agree. 

"I would like to go forward as a community to have a conversation around adding additional school resource officers, but also looking closely at what we're already doing in terms of the soft side of things to prevent [mass shootings]," said parent Julianne Lewis.

Before the public hearing, superintendent Dr. Michael Patton read a statement. He said the district had met with local law enforcement agencies to review options on expanding the SRO program.

The district will be conducting a safety assessment in the coming weeks. After that is complete, a community forum will be held on December 17.