Assemblyman Stirpe: Keeping Safety a Priority as Kids Head Back to School

We’ve had a beautiful summer here in Central New York. But now, as August turns to September, it’s that time of the year when parents are sending their children off to school. As they do, it’s critical that we remind ourselves about the importance of school safety, to ensure that all kids are safe when catching the bus, around crosswalks, and on schools grounds.

Every day, an estimated 50,000 drivers illegally pass a school bus in New York.1 This is extremely dangerous for kids who could be hit by a reckless driver trying to go around a bus. To better protect students, I co-sponsored the School Bus Safety Act supporting the installation and use of stop arm cameras on school buses (A.321-B).

I’ve also made it a top priority to meet with parents, students, teachers, and school administrators throughout our communities to learn more about ways to improve the safety of our schools. These interactions in our community led me to push at the state level for stronger school safety measures.

One thing I’ve heard from parents and administrators alike is the need for more school resource officers. These SROs not only protect students, but also help create educational programs, prevent drug abuse, curb violence, and can complement the existing school counseling resources. A recent report by the Onondaga County School Safety Task Force specifically described SROs as the preferred method of providing safety within schools.

To make the most of these vital officers, I sponsored legislation to create a working group to study standards and training for these positions (A.10819). I also authored legislation to expand the definition of peace officers to include retired police officers who serve as school resource officers (A.10284). And, I am currently working on a comprehensive bill to improve training and use of retired law enforcement officers as SROs.

Learning in a safe school environment is important, and no matter where life takes our students, a quality education is vital to their success. That’s why I also made sure that we increased education aid by over $8.5 million in this year’s state budget. This funding will help inspire the next generation of innovators and leaders to keep New York moving forward.

I want to wish everyone a happy and safe start to the school year. As always, I’m here to help. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office at StirpeA@nyassembly.gov or 315-452-1115.

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1. pressconnects.com/story/news/public-safety/2018/04/06/drivers-illegal-pass-school-buses-police-enforcement/479156002