A WORD FROM THE PUBLISHER

School safety is a state issue


At the recent school board meeting Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Feirsen commented that the school district has had to expend funds on implementing security systems in the school buildings, and that these costs are to be borne by the local taxpayers.

School buildings on Long Island were generally built in the 1960s and ‘70’s, at a time when it was inconceivable that school children would have to worry about armed intruders in the building. In those decades, we had fire drills and even air raid drills, but never lockdown drills. However, the world had unfortunately changed and school districts all over have to change too.

Albany often mandates actions from school districts without providing funding for them. This seems like an area in which the state should take some financial responsibility. School districts’ primary responsibility is in educating students; one of the state’s primary responsibilities is in keeping its citizens safe. It would be appropriate for the state to offer grants to school districts to help them keep their students safe.



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