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Indians welcome new security system in NY schools

Arthur J Pais in New York

As the New York City police get ready to take over the security arrangements in public schools under a plan approved by the Board of Education, many critics, including some of the most vocal black leaders and civil liberty advocates, warn of campuses turning into armed camps.

But many parents, including those of blacks and immigrants, say the schools are armed camps already, because hundreds of teenage students bring guns and knives, fooling the automatic weapon detectors.

Scores of immigrant parents from India welcomed the measure.

"If we had a lot of money our children won't be going to public schools," said Raju Thomas, a part-time accountant and father of two young boys. "This measure should have been passed a long, long time ago."

There are about 50,000 school children from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the city's public schools. With one million students and 65,000 teachers, the city includes the nation's largest school district. About 70 per cent of the children in the public schools are blacks and Hispanic.

Last year there were 281cases of rape, sexual abuse, robbery, assault and kidnapping in schools.

"It is not just the guns you are scared of," said an Indian physics teacher on condition of anonymity, "You are worried about razor blades, you are worried about bare fists, you are worried about threats."

Last year the students assaulted at least 100 teachers. "Some of these students are six feet tall and weigh about 200 pounds," the teacher said.

Black leaders, including Reverend Al Sharpton, complained that many incidents and studies have shown that New York's largely white police force is biased against blacks and Spanish-speaking children -- hence, putting these officers in schools would only make the situation worse.

The Board's unanimous vote on Wednesday last week allows the police to recruit, hire, train and supervise the 3,300 peace officers who maintain security at public schools.

Safety officers now carry only handcuffs, not guns, and do not have the power to arrest anyone. That would not change under the new system, Police Commissioner Howard Safir said.

Before the vote, critics said past incidents of police misconduct and tensions between the department and minorities would create hostility.

"We don't want our children in an environment reminiscent of an armed camp or police state,'' said Reverend Adolph Roberts of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Harlem. "Our primary concern is safety and dignity for our children.''

The plan, which will be phased between November 1 and December 31, will not immediately increase the number of police officers patrolling schools. The city police currently supplement school security in 128 schools.

The police plan to standardise background checks and ban the hiring of anyone with felony record. Training and supervision will also be revamped.

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