New York City schools will soon be able to lock the front doors, thanks to new camera and buzzer systems expanding across the five boroughs.
The Panel for Educational Policy approved a $43 million contract with Symbrant Technologies Inc. on Wednesday night, clearing a final hurdle to implement technology first announced in the mayor’s preliminary budget last month.
The security system, intended to keep unwanted visitors out of school buildings, is deactivated during normal arrival and dismissal times. Many families and unions called for the devices following the Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting last year.
But while some parents and staffers celebrated the heightened safety, others questioned whether the costly project — expected to total $78 million by completion — is the best use of money to address a recent string of violent episodes after school.
“I really want us to be thoughtful in our approach,” said Tom Sheppard, who represents Bronx parents on the panel. “If the issues that are happening are around our schools, I have questions about whether this system of locking the doors will do anything to deal with that issue.”
The city will spend approximately $30,000 to outfit each school building, said Assemblyman Mike Reilly, who advocated for the security system for more than a decade. The money will go toward equipment, cabling and installation, according to materials presented to the board.
Most of the funding will come through the mayor’s office, while the rest is already budgeted in the department’s capital plan for school safety and security enhancements, panel members were briefed.
“These common-sense measures will certainly strengthen our first line of defense to keeping our school community safe,” said Robert Quintana, principal of Public School 28 in Corona, Queens, a prekindergarten through second grade school. “As a father of three and as a principal, this is the one commodity that is priceless.”
This fall, an intruder entered PS 28 and tried to get into classrooms upstairs. The man was blocked by a school safety agent and the principal, who had training in martial arts. Two days later, Quintana joined a pilot program to have the door-locking system installed.
But while several buildings across the city were supposed to participate in the pilot, only a few schools had the system up and running before the contract came to the panel.
That left some members with lingering questions — from whether students with limited English proficiency or disabilities will be able to access the school building, to if big schools would inevitably let most people through to keep up with larger numbers of students and staff throughout the day.
“We’ve asked the questions, but we haven’t had the opportunity to get answers,” said Sheree Gibson, a Queens borough president appointee to the panel. “I’m not saying that the system isn’t an answer. I’m saying you didn’t give us an opportunity to find out.”
Schools Chancellor David Banks offered to delay the vote, but a majority of members decided to proceed with the contract that night.
“I stay up at night when I watch national TV shows about people walking into our schools and shooting up a school. That’s what this was an attempt to deal with,” said Banks. “It is the one thing I could not live with myself, as a father of four children and the person who’s responsible for this system.”
The contract passed the panel, made up of mostly mayoral appointees, with 15 votes in favor and six abstentions. Another agreement will come before the board ahead of October, when the current terms expire.
