State Legislation Requires Schools Consider Silent Panic Alarm Systems

Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation last week requiring school districts to consider the use of silent panic alarm systems when conducting review and development of school safety plans — and a South Fork educator was on hand to witness it.

The new statute is called Alyssa’s Law, and is named for Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old who was one of 17 killed in the Parkland, Florida, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018.

“School safety continues to be the top priority of school leaders,” said Hampton Bays Superintendent Lars Clemensen. “Tools like Alyssa’s Law, the Extreme Risk Protection Order, gun safety measures, partnerships with law enforcement and resources for mental health are all part of a Blueprint for School Safety that allows districts to plan, adapt and build safe school communities.”

Clemensen is on the New York State School Superintendents Executive Board and is a past president of the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association, where he was an author of the Blueprint for School Safety that was written after the massacre at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

He was invited to participate at the governor’s signing of Alyssa’s Law as a representative of school superintendents, and was one of several state and local leaders to include their signatures on the bill alongside Alyssa’s family, including her parents, Lori and Ilan Alhadeff.

The Alhadeffs established a foundation in their daughter’s memory, and have advocated for the adoption of silent panic alarm systems in school buildings since the mass shooting. The implementation of an alert directly to all law enforcement in the area of a school can save precious minutes in an active shooter situation and allow for immediate police response.

Hochul said the law acts, in part, as a response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of a New York law that restricts people’s ability to carry concealed firearms in public. It could mean, the governor said, no forewarning that someone in grocery stores like those in Buffalo, or schools like Parkland or Uvalde, or in subways are transporting weapons.

“The Supreme Court of the United States of America has stripped away the State of New York’s right and responsibility to protect its citizens with a decision — which we are still digesting — which is frightful in its scope of how they are setting back this nation and our ability to protect our citizens back to the days of our founding fathers. And the language we’re reading is shocking,” Hochul said.

“I don’t think they envision the high-capacity assault weapon magazines intended for battlefields as being covered from this, but I guess we’re just going to have to disagree. As governor of the State of New York, my No. 1 priority is to keep New Yorkers safe … And this could place millions of New Yorkers in harm’s way. This decision isn’t just reckless, it’s reprehensible. It’s not what New Yorkers want.”

Panic alarm system can cost a few thousand dollars to purchase and can be implemented in the classroom as a smartphone app.

“Ensuring that our students make it home safe from school at the end of every day is one of our greatest responsibilities as a community,” Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado said. “By signing Alyssa’s Law, Governor Hochul is providing school districts with an added measure for keeping kids safe and deterring mass shootings in our schools. Having this safety measure in place will help ease parents’ fears when they send their kids off to school every day.”

Hochul said the alert bypasses 911, so there is no delay in all available law enforcement personnel responding. Minutes saved in response time, she stressed, could save lives.

“A safe, secure, welcoming learning environment is paramount for our students, the staff who work with them and the families who rely on our public school system,” New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta said. “It’s common sense to ensure school safety teams are reviewing all the tools at their disposal that can help speed up the emergency response in the event of a crisis.”

“The recent tragedies in Buffalo and Uvalde have highlighted an ever-present concern for school superintendents: Can we ensure for our communities — and ourselves — that we are doing everything possible every day to keep our students and employees safe?” Charles Dedrick, executive director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents added. “We need partners from state government and law enforcement and look forward to working together to inform school district leaders about how new state laws can help us to achieve that goal.”

During the signing, Hochul outlined plans to launch a robust and multifaceted public education campaign surrounding New York’s newly-expanded Red Flag Law — which goes into effect July 6 — with a specific focus on educators and mental health professionals. The original 2019 law prevents individuals who show signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing any kind of firearm. In May of this year, Hochul signed an executive order that requires State Police to file for an Extreme Risk Protection Order whenever there is probable cause to believe that an individual is a threat to themselves or others. Earlier this month, she signed a comprehensive law to strengthen gun legislation, closing loopholes and raising the age to buy a semi-automatic weapon from 18 to 21.

The state will also be creating a comprehensive suite of digital and physical educational materials to be unveiled in the upcoming weeks and months. They include an overhauled Red Flag Law website with key information for educators and mental health professionals, public service announcements and social media content.

This summer, the state will partner in providing a series of in-person and virtual trainings for school boards, superintendents, teachers, school-related professionals, principals and parent-teacher associations. These trainings will clearly indicate how and when to complete the necessary paperwork to file an Extreme Risk Protection Order, as well as address questions.

State leaders will also convene a series of roundtables specifically for local and county law enforcement, where they will detail new policies and procedures required under the law and best practices for implementation. These roundtables will be led by State Police and the Municipal Police Training Council, which is housed within the Division of Criminal Justice Services. Trainings will also be developed for emergency call center professionals.

“I am proud of the work we have done to pass a nation-leading bill package to crack down on the scourge of gun violence, but this is an ongoing fight, and we cannot stop here,” Hochul said. “We will continue to take aggressive action until every child in New York is safe to pursue an education without the fear of senseless tragedy.”