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Op-Ed: What Safety Protocol?

A Crown Heights teacher sent us the following op-ed, in which she decries the apparent lack of safety protocols in the community’s schools – despite the recent terror attacks in Israel and France – and questions whether our educational institutions are adequately protected.

by Anonymous

Let’s face it. We live in a crazy world. People don’t deny it, however, time heals and we tend to move on without learning from history.

As a teacher, I know the tremendous responsibility that my role as an educator entails. When a parent drops off their child in my care, their safety is my first priority. Of course, I focus on the student’s academic and social development; however, my main concern is that the children come home happy and safe.

At one of the Department of Education teacher’s meetings that I recently attended, the agency coordinator went through a list of emergency procedures and ended off… “Refer to the safety protocol that your school directors have informed you about at your initial meeting.”. I noticed many of the non-Jewish school representatives nodding in recognition, while many of my fellow Jewish teachers looked around in hope of some clarity…Which policy? Lockdown? What is she talking about?

I decided to be proactive and look into the matter myself. To my dismay, it was made known to me that there was no such protocol in place. The policy at the time was to look at the camera and buzz if the person looked harmless. Many times, the finger is on the buzzer before the eyes meet the screen, and what if someone walks in as the door is closing?

The purpose of me writing this is not to instill fear, but rather to bring this very important issue to light. Denial never did anyone any good.

School Administrators. You continuously boost your staff’s morale by reminding us of how having these precious neshamas in our hands is not only a zechus, but a huge achrayus. And so here I am, turning the tables around. Just as you said. We have these precious children in our possession for a significant part of the day. It is our achrayus that they be safe. Unfortunately, safety is no longer about locking the front doors. We live in a crazy world. Nobody needs to be reminded of the attacks at Merkaz Harav or Sandy Hook; or something even closer to home…the recent stabbing in 770 and the terrorist attack at Hyper Cacher – which was recently discovered to be their second choice; they initially planned on attacking the Chabad school.

We are taught that Hashem showers upon us brachos, but in order that we properly receive them there needs to be a proper Keili. Nobody is suggesting that we take unrealistic measures upon ourselves and build a fortress around our Mosdos, but simply to dedicate time to sit down and come up with reasonable solutions. If the claim is that the cost is too high, I am positive that parents would be willing to add a nominal fee to their tuition for their children’s sake, I know I would. Maybe the money could be raised as well.

I am aware that there are schools out there that took initiative and improved their security. Yasher koach! This is simply a friendly reminder to all schools in the Crown Heights community that there is always room for improvement in this regard. May Hashem continue to pour Brachos upon us and may we only hear of good tidings.

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17 Comments

  • Well said

    The schools in Crown Heights do not take security seriously. It’s too much of a burden for them and they don’t want to deal with it.

    A buzzer with a CCTV is worthless if 1) the door is open half of the time anyway, because it doesn’t close properly, and 2) the door monitor buzzes everyone in indiscriminately.

  • more so...

    150%!!! This article hits home. But not hard enough! I think reporting a mock story to see the populations reaction would get a better result. Then remorse and guilt will kick in hard. Then everyone will ask… How ? Why? When?… And who? Our security measures are a joke. It’s time to get out heads out of our ‘bubble’.

  • Amazing!

    Always thought about this! I heard this recently… And it is also correct pertaining to the mindset. There is the sheep and the wolf. We all know who they are. For those who do not relate to either, you know who you are… you are option C and we need more of you.

  • Not just ny

    The problem with security is not only in NY but many many schools and chadarim around the country. It’s time to take the security of our precious children seriously.

  • Cajun Chosid

    Each Jewish school, shul, institution etc should have armed security.

    Don’t be naive and think it will never happen here. I am sure those who davened schachris that morning in Har Nof thought the same thing.

    Those who went shopping for shabbos in the Hyper Cacher market also didn’t anything would happen.

    Armed security on the outside and also at least one person part of the administration who knows how to use a firearm see how it can be legal to have a firearm licensed on the premises.

  • Parents need to demand

    If school administrators won’t take safety seriously parents need to put pressure on them and say we won’t send our children to your school until you have a lockdown policy and regular practice drills. They should be doing it out of achrayus for their students but if it has to be that they only do it for tuition money, at least the children will be safe.

  • Well written. So true.

    I often wondered about the concern one of our mosdos has about street crossing and cars turning, enough to ensure that a no turning law was put into affect at their corner. This is definitely a legitimate concern! Children should not have to be afraid to cross because a car is turning or a parent double parked – to let off their child. HOWEVER, the concern should include the fact that measures need to be taken to prevent parents and community members from getting tickets due to THE SIGNS not being properly posted near the lights and the trees covering the signs. If they really cared ENOUGH – they’d go the length it takes to make everyone aware.
    This brings me to my second point. The ‘guard’ at the door – inside the door – is helping to protect our girls B”H with the tehillim and learning he does while at his post. This is all fine and good. But is he armed? Licensed to carry a gun? Trained to deal with terrorists c”v? Are teachers instructed what to do with their students should an alarm c’v be sounded? This is not the same as fire-drill.
    May Hashem watch over all of us and protect us from harm.

  • Put $ Where Your Mouth Is

    Big talk!

    Is EACH parent willing to pay $100 a month EXTRA for security?

    Listen to the SILENCE!

    Sure there is lots that CAN be done – a double door entrance (one remains locked when other is open), a guard, panic buttons etc. but these COST MONEY (duh!).

    All the noise is for SOMEONE ELSE to cough up the money, but NO ONE is willing to step up to plate.

    So stop the belly aching kvetching.

    • To #10

      It’s rather interesting… when listening to the tone of things…you’re the only one who seems to be kvetching.

      School security is important, and in the larger scheme of things…what is $100? Is your child worth $100? Think of it that way.

      This OpEd seems to be more for awareness of a very important subject, and that’s why there are school boards and parent meetings – and they can come up with realistic solutions.

      And regarding the – “Listen to the SILENCE”
      This isn’t a conversation, you aren’t going to be hearing anything… You could have asked ‘Is anyone willing to pay the fee?’ and for your information, I know quite a number of parents who would be willing to happily pay the nominal fee for their children’s safety.

  • Mazal tov!

    Schools should take notice of this article! And quickly!
    We have a few people in the shchuna who qualify for the job.

  • Attention #8

    It’s rather interesting… when listening to the tone of things…you’re the only one who seems to be kvetching.

    School security is important, and in the larger scheme of things…what is $100? Is your child worth $100? Think of it that way.

    This OpEd seems to be more for awareness of a very important subject, and that’s why there are school boards and parent meetings – and they can come up with realistic solutions.

    And regarding the – “Listen to the SILENCE”
    This isn’t a conversation, you aren’t going to be hearing anything… You could have asked ‘Is anyone willing to pay the fee?’ and for your information, I know quite a number of parents who would be willing to happily pay the nominal fee for their children’s safety.

  • non-gender

    More import–do the school administrations have plans A, B & C if it, Has VaShaolem comes to that and can they implement effectively these plans?????????

  • separate fund

    The money for security should not go to the school. There should be a separate fund set up for this. Pay private ISRAELI security or retired policemen to be a guard. In a medium size school of 500 children $5 per child per month will suffice. (That’s a salary of $2500 per week). That is affordable. So more students bring the cost down.
    The stores should also be vigilant. Empire kosher had a Muslim women, fully covered up, walking down the aisles and observing. SHe didn’t come to shop. Just one observant shopper paid attention. Everyone else was clueless. Time to wakeup!

  • other functions

    Schools are used for other functions, such as simchas. While there needs to be security when school is in session, what about security at other times? How can that be strengthened?

  • Locked and Loaded Lubavitcher

    Ok,OK, OK, with all of the gobbledygook in the comments above, it’s high time for someone who has seen this issue from both ends and actually knows what is going on and how this works to set the record straight (as both a teacher who taught young students – by far the most vulnerable – for over a decade, as well as as an NRA certified firearms certificate and CCW holder (for those who need to be be educated, a CCW is a Concealed Carry Weapons license) I feel that I have at least enough clout on the issue to point the discussion in the right direction),
    Protocols, lock-down-drills, shelter-in-place exercises, double entry doors, these are all passive security measures at best, created for the most part to make you “feel” safe as opposed to actually ensuring our safety.
    We had an agent from the Dept. of Homeland Security come to train us on the implementation of these protocols and procedures and answer any questions regarding school safety. His answer to me when I asked him point blank “what do you do to actually STOP an “active shooter” who has shot his way into the building and is going from room to room killing everyone who is following “Protocol” by “sheltering-in-place” and in essence by doing so making themselves into “lambs being led to slaughter”, was at best frightening. “We don’t recommend that you do anything to interact with the gunman”. “Just follow protocol and wait for the police to arrive – they are trained to deal with these situations” was all he had to say. Of course! Every officer from the CSI unit goes through an extensive course in HOW TO DRAW CHALK LINES AROUND DEAD BODIES!!!
    As we saw from Sandy Hook exactly how that is accomplished!! It took no more than five minutes for a depressed knucklehead with NO training or experience to shoot out the glass of the front door, and go on to kill 26 people including 20 children!!
    Imagine CV”S for someone who has even a small amount of training and is ideologically inclined to commit an atrocity of this kind?!?!?!?!
    The answer to a degree is in the implementation of the “Guardian” program. Many states have, or are in the process of adopting varying aspects of this system by which faculty member volunteers who have a CCW go through a training course which includes friend-foe, shoot-don’t shoot and close quarter fire training. Upon completion they are certified to clandestinely carry a weapon in the school for last-resort shooter interdiction. I know of some schools in Texas, Arkansas and Alabama who at any point in time can have 25-30 teachers and staff secretly “packing heat”. This is in addition to some schools having fingerprint reading lock-boxes for assault rifles and shotguns on each floor should C”VS they ever be needed.
    Honestly, for the people in NY, NJ and any of the other bastions of liberal enlightenment, you voted for the imbeciles who made it almost impossible to legally carry a firearm for personal protection, let alone getting carried in schools. On the flip side, you are also the constituents who’s will (in theory) needs to be followed. If every Frum Jew in NYC DEMANDED of their elected officials repeatedly to make carrying a legal firearm accessible to those with no criminal record, who knows what may happen…… Stay safe.

    Moshiach NOW!!!