Saving School Safety
Partnering Budgets and Safety – Can Safety Programs Survive?
Interview with Gregory Thomas was first published in 2011
Every school district and every school in America is being asked to make major budget cuts. Yet, school educators are responsible for the care and safety of the children entrusted to them. With or without funds, everyone agrees that children need to feel safe to learn!
We ask every educator to remember that principals, teachers, custodial staff, staff and students must be empowered and trained to make decisions in times of crisis. There is no substitute for on-the-ground decision making and critical leadership skills during any type of incident that impacts a school.
“We have to go after emergency planning with the attitude that both natural and human-caused disasters will happen again,” reminded Gregory Thomas, former Executive Director for the New York Board of Education’s Office of Student Safety. “It is not a question of if, but the question is – what is the next event is going to be. By preparing for the ‘imaginable’ we are preparing for the ‘unimaginable.”
We ask every educator to remember that principals, teachers, custodial staff, staff and students must be empowered and trained to make decisions in times of crisis. There is no substitute for on-the-ground decision making and critical leadership skills during any type of incident that impacts a school.
“We have to go after emergency planning with the attitude that both natural and human-caused disasters will happen again,” reminded Gregory Thomas, former Executive Director for the New York Board of Education’s Office of Student Safety. “It is not a question of if, but the question is – what is the next event is going to be. By preparing for the ‘imaginable’ we are preparing for the ‘unimaginable.”
What’s the Price of School Safety?
“During tough fiscal times, agencies are often asked to reduce their operating budgets.” said Thomas. “Many of these reductions require that school districts look deeply within their budgets to come up with cuts to meet the established goals. When the cuts can’t be avoided, I encourage educational leaders to take steps to avoid making them in the area of safety and security, because the cuts can have deleterious effects on the stability of the school environment.”[1] Gregory Thomas made those statement in 2004 – 3 years after our national was thrust into a new reality after the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
Now every school district in America is being asked to cut spending – cut teaching staff – cut budgets – cut safety programs – layoff staff; yet can every school district in American afford to totally cut school safety programs that support response to natural and human-caused disasters?
“A school culture of safety and prevention is critical for creating safe environments of learning. My approach is to become pre-active – support safety assessments; identify possible sources of violence and mitigate them before they can be activated; and also identify hazards and involve the entire school in your preparedness efforts. It’s a new era and schools must become fully engaged in the emergency planning, preparedness, response and recovery,” said Thomas.
“During tough fiscal times, agencies are often asked to reduce their operating budgets.” said Thomas. “Many of these reductions require that school districts look deeply within their budgets to come up with cuts to meet the established goals. When the cuts can’t be avoided, I encourage educational leaders to take steps to avoid making them in the area of safety and security, because the cuts can have deleterious effects on the stability of the school environment.”[1] Gregory Thomas made those statement in 2004 – 3 years after our national was thrust into a new reality after the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
Now every school district in America is being asked to cut spending – cut teaching staff – cut budgets – cut safety programs – layoff staff; yet can every school district in American afford to totally cut school safety programs that support response to natural and human-caused disasters?
“A school culture of safety and prevention is critical for creating safe environments of learning. My approach is to become pre-active – support safety assessments; identify possible sources of violence and mitigate them before they can be activated; and also identify hazards and involve the entire school in your preparedness efforts. It’s a new era and schools must become fully engaged in the emergency planning, preparedness, response and recovery,” said Thomas.
Foot Note: This interview with Gregory Thomas was first published in 2011.
[1] Gregory Thomas has over twenty five years of experience in law enforcement and safety. He was the Director of the New York Board of Education’s Office of Student Safety on September 11, 2001. He was an assistant commissioner at the Fire Department of New York City. He was the former Deputy Director of Deputy Director of Planning and Response in the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. In his current role as a private consultant, he continues to work with vulnerable populations to help them prepare for emergencies.
[1] Gregory Thomas has over twenty five years of experience in law enforcement and safety. He was the Director of the New York Board of Education’s Office of Student Safety on September 11, 2001. He was an assistant commissioner at the Fire Department of New York City. He was the former Deputy Director of Deputy Director of Planning and Response in the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. In his current role as a private consultant, he continues to work with vulnerable populations to help them prepare for emergencies.