By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – The St. Louis school board has authorized spending up to $20,000 on a private security detail for board president Veronica O'Brien.
The panel made the decision in a closed-door meeting Friday.
Last month O'Brien tried to get restraining orders against former high school basketball coach Floyd Irons and his friend Demitrious Johnson. But a judge denied her request.
O'Brien had alleged the men stalked and harassed her after the board voted to terminate Irons.
However the district's interim deputy superintendent John Martin says the threats are not specific.
"We can't assign the threats to anyone," Martin said. "If we knew who was doing it, rather than spend $20,000 on security you'd go talk to the police and have them arrested."
Martin says the money will come from the district's general fund.
He says $20,000 will pay for about four to five weeks of private security.