“I personally reviewed the production (of the emails) and did not locate any correspondence concerning insurance,” Avery wrote via email on Monday. Avery also claimed he couldn’t find any communications between the district and the insurance representatives. The board’s attorney, Steve Avery of Spencer, declined to release the correspondence because doing so would jeopardize the EMC’s competitive standing. The Cherokee Chronicle Times and Storm Lake Times Pilot have requested email correspondence between district officials and EMC’s representatives on insurance-related discussions stemming from the weapons policy. Even if it could, the coalition claims arming each teacher will cost $10,000 per year per teacher, roughly the same amount as professional malpractice insurance. Jones have claimed otherwise.Ī coalition of Cherokee stakeholders has claimed the district can’t find an insurer willing to take on the risk of underwriting a policy that Cherokee would require - up to 45 staff members are expected to carry firearms on school grounds next year. The district has publicly asserted its insurance will be safe. “The budget is healthy and the board’s plan is to protect our most precious assets: students and staff.”ĮMC did not respond to requests for comment on Cherokee’s insurance standing. There has not been an official notification of cancellation regarding Cherokee School District coverage for 2022 to 2023 or 2023 to 2024,” Mullins said in a prepared statement. “As of today, Cherokee School District’s coverage through EMC Insurance is in force. Mullins declined comment on IFC’s statement. board member Ray Mullins asserted the district’s insurance coverage was safe for the current and upcoming year. In a statement last week, Thomas noted that the House passed HF654, but didn’t mention the legislation’s fate in the Senate. The situation is being closely monitored by Lakes Conference superintendents. It and Spirit Lake have become the test cases for the most generous firearms policies in Iowa. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, believes the legislation will pass the Republican-controlled Senate “if it gets to the floor.”Ĭherokee is relying on the legislation to pass and be signed by Gov. “It may cause the entire bill to fail,” said Jones of the requirement that bars insurance companies from denying coverage to Cherokee and Spirit Lake. Megan Jones, a Sioux Rapids Republican who voted for the legislation. The bill, HF 654, passed the House of Representatives earlier this month, but has stalled in the Senate because the insurance provision “has become a serious stumbling block,” according to Rep. Board President Jodi Thomas said she wasn’t familiar with the blog post, an explanation of an omnibus firearms legislation that prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage to school districts on the sole basis the districts arm staff. Kim Lingenfelter didn’t respond to requests for comment on the blog post. The coalition didn’t respond to an email requesting comment on how it learned that the districts were threatened.Ĭherokee Schools Supt. “IFC notes that the Spirit Lake and Cherokee school districts have already been threatened with loss of insurance coverage since announcing last year their intent to train and arm staff members,” reads the blog post by IFC Staff Writer Michael Ware. The Iowa Firearms Coalition reported in a February blog post Cherokee and Spirit Lake school districts were “threatened with loss of insurance coverage” because they announced they would train and arm staff. One of the entrances at Washington High School in Cherokee.ĮMC Insurance reportedly has threatened loss of property and casualty insurance to two Lakes Conference school districts because the districts are expected to train and arm staff members next school year.
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