August 16th, Vol. 14

As we gear up for the fall school year, it is imperative that children feel safe in their classrooms. Parents throughout the nation watched in horror as the Uvalde School Shooting unfolded live on national television and social media. Parents send their children to school and expect them to return to us safely. 

In New York City, parents worry if their children will arrive at school safely due to the rampant gun violence and crime in our communities. Parents worry if their children are safe in school due to the high amount of guns and other weapons found by School Safety Agents. While we greatly appreciate that Chancellor David Banks is implementing new safety protocols, our children will still be in danger until we hire more School Safety Agents. 

The shortage of 2,000 School Safety Agents must be remedied. Schools are understaffed. Some schools only have one School Safety Agent. We do not have enough School Safety Agents to properly protect our children even with Chancellor Banks’ efforts. Recruiting and retaining School Safety Agents must be a priority.

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