Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R,C-Staten Island/Brooklyn) attended a press conference today in the Capitol alongside Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski), Captain Tracey Quinn of the Greene County Sheriff’s office and members of the Assembly Minority Conference to address recent acts of violence in schools and discuss the Assembly Minority Task Force on School Safety & Security final report. The task force met in five different locations throughout the state, including Public School 8 in the Great Kills neighborhood of Staten Island. During the hearing, the task force heard from parents, teachers, mental health experts and law enforcement officials to find viable solutions and recommendations for lawmakers. 

The recommendations of the task force include:

• Increasing Law Enforcement Presence in Schools
• Addressing Mental Health Issues in Schools
• Open Communication Between Stakeholders
• Innovative State Support for School Safety and Security
• Identifying Threats and Providing Support to At-Risk Students

“With the alarming amount of violence across the country and here in our state, it is our job as lawmakers to implement comprehensive plans to prevent harm to children and teachers while at school. For this reason, I hosted the Assembly Minority School Safety Task Force in my district at Public School 8 last October. I was proud to successfully lobby the Department of Education alongside my colleague, Assemblyman Mike Reilly (R,C-Staten Island), to install a front door locking system in our public schools. Thanks to our advocacy, the front doors of all public schools will soon have a door-locking and camera system. This is certainly a step in the right direction. The safety of our students and teachers remains our top priority.” said Tannousis.