On Wednesday night, Boston Public Schools district leaders were presented with some school safety recommendations as part of a report by the Council of Great City Schools – an outside consulting organization.
Here are some of the recommendations included in the report
- Consideration of BPS forming an internal, sworn police department
- Designing a process for Boston Police and BPS to share information
- Speeding up the recruitment of hiring safety specialists
- Creating an anonymous reporting hotline
There have been a few scary situations recently involving violence at BPS schools including a shooting and stabbing at the Burke School in Dorchester, in addition to BPS faculty getting injured during attacks by students.
Recently, four Boston city councilors called for metal detectors and police in schools. According to the Globe, police were removed from BPS in the summer of 2021 and replaced with safety specialists without arrest powers, uniforms, or handcuffs. Several middle and high schools already have metal detectors. Charlestown High School brought them back last spring after two students were found with guns. A school can use metal detectors if the school community, school site council, and head of school collectively decide to use them and the policy is reviewed by the district’s legal department.
In response to the letter written by the four city councilors re: metal detectors, a group of local organizations wrote a letter in response calling that idea harmful and that there needs to be more resources, programs, and mental health services to improve school safety.
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Maureen Dahill is the editor of Caught in Southie and a lifelong resident of South Boston sometimes mistaken for a yuppie. Co-host of Caught Up, storyteller, lover of red wine and binge watching TV series. Mrs. Peter G. Follow her @MaureenCaught.
