School Security Issues Are Debated By Princeton Parents, Board Members

Candace Braun

What type of security the Princeton Regional School District should obtain for the middle school and high school in order to make parents, students, and faculty feel safe, but not overwhelmed, was debated for much of the school board's meeting on Tuesday, February 15.

New Superintendent Judith Wilson said the district's intention is to hire security monitors for the school rather than armed police known as senior resource officers, who would be funded by the district but employed by either the Borough or Township Police Department. Monitors would be hired and salaried by the district.

"We feel like we need to pump up security in the schools," said Board President Anne Burns in a recent interview. She added that she didn't feel there was enough support on the Board to hire SROs, but that there was a need for some type of clearly identifiable security, which will most likely be part of the district's April budget vote, in the form of a second question.

Several community members attending the meeting showed interest in including approximately $90,000 in the district's 2006-06 budget to hire some kind of security for PHS and John Witherspoon Middle School.

"Gang awareness and prevention is something this town needs to take seriously and do something about," said JW Principal Bill Johnson. "I am in support of anything....that will make the middle school and high school safer."

He told the Board that he has already started instituting programs at his school, including the Gang Awareness and Prevention Program (GAPP), which will bring in a former gang member from the state prison to speak to eighth grade students on the dangers of belonging to a gang. Mr. Johnson said he also recently distributed gang awareness videos to all faculty members.

Some students, however, were concerned about what kind of environment additional security would create in the schools.

"Many high school students don't look forward to this presence," read a letter by Tom Hillman and Emily Mokros, the student representatives on the Board. They added that the officer would shift the high school's environment from a friendly one to one where students would feel under suspicion.

"Students may become resentful of the mistrust this officer represents," they said, adding that they wouldn't want the officer to carry a weapon, and would want his main focus to be gang-related issues, and not the day-to-day activities of students.

Princeton High School Principal Gary Snyder said he feels there is a need for some kind of assistance in the schools, but did not say whether it should be an armed police officer or simply a monitor.

"For those seven hours they're in my building, I'm their parent....and there are times I wish I had a little more help," he said, adding that the problems that have arisen lately have overwhelmed the guidance department, which will need some kind of assistance as well.

Another part of the April budget's second question is a possible additional $90,000 for administrative assistance at the high school level, in the form of a school facilitator or dean of students.

Some Board members were against any type of additional security in the schools. Board member Walter Bliss said that as a father of four children, one of whom currently attends PHS, he feels that bringing added security into the schools would disrupt the environment.

"I want a family atmosphere in the schools," he said. "I don't want officers getting in between the students and teachers."

But some parents said they feel that the school isn't looking to hire tough enough security. "A monitor is a going to be a watered-down rent-a-cop," said Carol Braun, the parent of a middle school and high school student.

Deborah Jordan, a member of the Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance, said she feels that just having a visible uniform will help prevent several problem activities around the high school, including drivers who speed down the street while children are present, which was the cause of a recent accident that critically injured a Princeton student.

While the issue of security officers was an emotional topic for some parents and faculty members, one Board member wanted to know why the gang violence problems in Princeton are being addressed only by the schools, and not the municipalities.

"The Borough and Township are laying this on the school district....The incidents [relating to gangs] have occurred outside the schools, particularly the violent ones," said Board Vice President Charlotte Bialek.

She added that she hasn't seen either municipality lead any discussions on recent incidents in town, which included one in January outside of the Princeton Public Library, where upwards of 20 youths were using gang signals and making threatening remarks.

A Community Issue

The topic of municipal involvement in town issues was first sparked when the Board was asked to pass a resolution at the February 15 meeting that would show its support for the Township's completion of a missing link of sidewalk along Littlebrook Road. This was the second resolution passed by the Board in two months' time showing support for a Township issue. Last month the Board passed a resolution showing support for the Township adding sidewalks on Snowden Lane, a matter which has been heavily rejected by Township residents who live in the specified area.

"It's a Township issue, not a school board issue," said Ms. Bialek, adding that she was unaware of the details, including the sidewalk location that is in question, and felt it inappropriate to voice her own views. "I would say that if we can vote on the sidewalks....the Borough and Township should have a real discussion on these [gang-related] issues."

The Board met in closed session following the open public meeting, but no action was taken. Board members will continue discussing the different options for hiring security before presenting a formal budget proposal to the state on March 8.