Here’s an update to our February 22nd blog commentary on school security issues at Hempstead High School in New York. According to the March 21st edition of Newsday (Hempstead schools superintendent resigns; Source: Newsday), “Superintendent Nathaniel Clay is resigning after more than a dozen years” of working for the Hempstead school district. Clay’s contract expires on June 30th, 2008, and school board members had decided several months ago not to renew it.
Although the recent school security incidents (a student was fatally stabbed on the handball courts in January) may not have been the sole reason for Clay’s early retirement, parents in the community have blamed Clay and other school administrators for the lack of security guards and other security lapses. "It's time for him to go," said Beatrice Braxton, a community activist who attended the meeting. "We don't feel children are very safe at the high school."
Overall, providing a safe learning environment is not only important for the obvious reason of keeping students, teachers and other school employees safe and secure, but also so students can have the most conducive environment for getting a quality education. It’s difficult for students to learn effectively if they’re consistently concerned about their safety.
As school administrators, do you apply an equal focus on safety and security at your schools as you do to teaching?