Stamford Schools Approves Additional $4M For Security Upgrades

STAMFORD, CT — The Stamford Board of Education this week voted to allocate $4 million toward security upgrades around the school district.

In July of this year, the board approved $840,000 for more security guards at all elementary schools that didn't have one.

The latest approved money is part of an $8.1 million short-term capital plan, which also includes funds for technology and facility equipment items.

Also approved was a $46.4 million budget for various school renovations as part of a long-term capital plan. The district anticipates to receive $11.9 million in reimbursements.

The additional security upgrades include $2.4 million for hardened front entrances; $850,000 for employee access control through card readers; $450,000 for vape sensors; and $300,000 for portable radios.

Board member Joshua Esses proposed a motion to cut the security funding. He called it "overkill," and argued that the district's time and money could be spent elsewhere.

"The district's priorities are so far and widespread that our resources on really administrative time, teacher time and staff time are going to be devoted elsewhere," he said. "All else equal, I'd prefer we spend more time on core curriculum ideas and academics than in training teachers on the right way to close doors and open doors, and then enforce and evaluate that we're doing that."

Superintendent of Stamford Public Schools Dr. Tamu Lucero said the district made determinations on safety upgrades through safety assessments.

"One of the things the safety assessment noted over and over again,is propped open doors," Lucero said. "Sometimes teachers don't have a choice, they feel, because they have to go out to recess."

Lucero added that the goal is not to turn school buildings into prisons. She said card access and fob systems are commonplace in other districts.

She noted that she spoke to Stamford High School students Tuesday night, who were still shaken by last Friday's hoax report of an active shooter at the school. Incidents of swatting, as it's also called, were widespread across the state on Oct. 21.

"The impact that it still has on students and staff, it just continues," Lucero said. "Anything we can do to slow down anyone getting into our building, I will always argue is a good thing."

There was also an incident this week on Tuesday morning after a threat was posted on a Stamford High School football blog. Extra police responded to the school before classes began as a safety precaution.

Former Stamford police officer and current Stamford schools security head, Joseph Kennedy, agreed with Lucero.

"The biggest frustration that teachers express to me is when it comes to open doors," he said. "A lot of the failings throughout the country are just the simple thing of an open door... This is all about buying time should an emergency happen."

Board member Becky Hamman said Stamford schools are "antiquated" when it comes to security.

"We have a lot of work to do, Josh," she said to Esses. "These little ones, big ones, our staff — they deserve everything we can give them. Stamford has been in the dark ages for too long."

Esses pointed out that school buildings around the district have been safe for decades. Board member Fritz Cherry said he viewed the security upgrades as a plus, and that it's a preventative measure and proactive.

Esses' motion eventually failed by a vote of one in favor, seven opposed.