May 3
2022
School violence, this time in Niagara Falls
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Buffalo isn’t the only local school district revamping its security measures as a result of violence.
On Monday, Niagara Falls High School implemented new protocols for visiting parents and guardians after an incident Friday in which a parent attempted to attack a student.
“Unfortunately, this was born out of our reaction and not a prevention. I’m not gonna lie to you. It was a reaction to a very unfortunate incident. The fortunate part was no one was hurt,” Superintendent Mark Laurrie told Investigative Post.
According to Laurrie, a student left class toward the end of the school day and opened an entrance to the building to allow her mother in. The mother then rushed past two security officers towards a classroom. Her target was another student.
“Safety officers saw her, chased her, they called her name verbally and she wouldn’t stop. And then they had to get into the room and help protect the kids and call the police,” Laurrie said.
The parent was arrested; no one was injured, according to Laurrie.
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The incident resulted in a slew of additional safety measures. They include requiring parents to schedule early pickups and visits to the school, escorts from security officers when visiting, and the installment of a secondary door in the vestibule.
“We spoke to the high school administration over Friday night and Saturday, and these were the protocols that they came up with as additional steps,” Laurrie said.
While Laurrie said the new measures are currently only in place in the high school, the district will evaluate other buildings if necessary.
“And we may need to,” he said. “I wish we would have had a statement in place, but sometimes you don’t think of everything.”
Buffalo schools are also revising numerous security measures in response to a rise in student violence. The district began to take steps in March after a student was stabbed and a security guard was shot at McKinley High School.
