Armed guards: not yet in Five Towns' schools

Across Long Island, strengthening school security has become more common. In response to nationwide gun violence at schools, schools have taken the measure of adding armed security. The use of armed guards in schools has long been a controversial topic and schools in the Five Towns aren’t thrilled about the idea of any armed security on school grounds.

“Right now, it is not our intention to have armed guards,” said Murray Forman, president of the Lawrence school district Board of Education. “Any possibility of armed guards would be dictated by facts and circumstances in the future. We’re generally aware of what’s going on and it’s just not our intention right now, to change our security protocols to include armed guards.”

Forman did not go into details on  Lawrence’s  security but expressed confidence in the existing conditions.

“We believe that we have a robust and comprehensive security plan, and we spend enormous resources providing a safe environment both through our guards at the school as well as continuous in-service and training for all our staff to ensure maximum security,” he said.

The added security is, in part, a response to recent school shootings across the country including the Feb. 13, mass shooting on the campus of Michigan State University that left three students killed and five others injured. The elementary school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers last year and the Parkland, Florida, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 people dead and 17 others injured in 2018.

Recently schools have made the decision to have armed security present on school grounds. Guards will now be patrolling outside South Huntington schools and the Smithtown Central school district announced its plans to hire armed guards to be stationed outside its schools, joining several other Island districts. Bullying prevention is often cited as an approach to school shooting prevention and support for improving mental health screening and treatment could receive increased attention as a push back to the addition of armed security.

Hebrew Academy of Long Beach Lower School Principal Richard Altabe declined to comment on security matters of the school or the topic of armed security on school grounds. Hewlett-Woodmere school district spokeswoman Barbara Giese did not share specifics but said that the district will continue to explore updated security options.

“The safety and security of our students, staff, and visitors are of the utmost importance to us and we take this responsibility very seriously,” Giese said. “We continue to invest in the most updated systems to remain at the forefront of school security.”

Several Island districts which use armed security include Hauppauge, Miller Place, Montauk, , Mount Sinai  and West Babylon. Massapequa is the only district in Nassau County to hire armed guards to staff its schools in response to the school shootings across the country. The security measure has been considered by several county school districts including Lynbrook.

Have an opinion on whether schools should have armed guard? Send letter to jbessen@liherald.com.