Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – School safety was again the big topic at Monday’s District 186 school board meeting. And teachers put the superintendent and board members on the griddle.

Teacher after teacher took the public comment microphone, including Lanphier High School’s Kristen Jurgens, who said discipline is minimal.

“When are you going to take these actions seriously?” Jurgens asked, referring to seemingly unchecked, rampant misbehavior that includes threats and assaults upon teachers. “I was living in Littleton, Colo., when Columbine happened, and this is no joke. Please wake up. What do we need to do for you to hear us?”

After the meeting, WTAX News asked superintendent Jennifer Gill how she’ll prove to teachers she has their back.

“What I want to say to you is that I can’t do it alone, sitting in my office,” Gill responded. “I’m going to be out on the ground, talking with the teachers doing the listening tours. We have discussed about a joint commission that we can put together, including community outreach groups. We can’t do this alone. So if you are waiting for me to solve all the world’s problems, I can’t do it alone. I have to do it in partnership with staff, with teachers, with the union, with the community, and, most importantly, with families, so they can help us say school is a sacred place.”

She says that commission would include union leadership.