‘What do we want?’ Syracuse staff demands safe schools for all


SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) – These days, every teacher has a lot on their plate, but Syracuse City school teachers tonight are dishing out some demands. they want to feel safe in school.
They laid it all out at the board of education meeting.
“What do we want? Safe schools! When do we want it? Now!” This was the chant going on outside the Syracuse City School District’s Board of Education Meeting.
A show of solidarity outside the board of education meeting, for a fellow teacher who police say was assaulted in her classroom by a parent.
“It was a triggering event. It was a tragic event,” Don Little 2nd Vice President of the Syracuse Teachers Association said.
“We have had incidents. We have seen violence. We have seen things occur, but this is the unthinkable,” Nicole Capsello, President of the Syracuse Teachers Association added.
And now they say enough is enough, and there’s a lot more that can be done to keep them safe.
“We have very old beautiful buildings and that lends us to the inability to have the standardized doorways the double entryways even communication systems within our buildings are very different due to their age. But at this point in time, it’s we need to make a change now and not continue to wait around for redesign and New York State,” Capsello said.
Syracuse’s school’s superintendent says safety concerns aren’t being ignored.
“In general, we’re doing things like walking through the building and looking at our entryways to make sure that there are measures in place to make sure the building has guidance. and we know what’s happening when somebody comes into the building versus, they’re welcome to go anywhere they want,” Superintendent Anthony David said.
A safe space for teachers to teach and students to learn that’s what is being asked for, but in order to make it happen it’s going to take a collaborative effort.
“As a historian I know that we have a long and rich history of collaboration between our union and our district. We must must, must, continue that collaboration at this time,” Don Little added.
So, everyone can feel safe, every school day.
Superintendent Davis emphasizing he has offered to have meetings with members of the community and staff members to give them the opportunity to offer input and be heard.
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