Page 6 - Work Force October 2025

School gun violence:
Prevention programs can save lives
CSEA members employed at
school districts are often key to
keeping students, staff and visitors
safe from potential gun violence.
Even though New York has
one of the nation’s lowest firearm
death rates, workers must still be
prepared for threats of violence and
emergencies.
As of January 2024, the state’s
workplace violence prevention law
now also covers school districts,
which had been initially exempt from
the law.
“Getting the New York State
Workplace Violence Prevention law
amended to include schools was
a crown jewel for us,” said CSEA
Occupational Safety and Health
Department Director Matthew Kozak.
“We can now hold our districts
accountable.”
Districts are now required to
complete a physical risk assessment
and risk evaluation determination,
as well as review their records,
procedures, and processes to
identify safety and health concerns.
Preparedness programs for
potential gun violence will include
training and discussions on active
shooter and workplace violence
prevention plans that all staff
will participate in. Districts may
implement active shooter drills
and emergency tools such as panic
buttons, alarms, sturdier doors,
and metal detectors. Staff will also
learn how to respond if a weapon is
found on campus. Districts should
strengthen mental health advocacy,
along with adding school resource
officers trained to respond to
potential violence.
CSEA members employed at
schools can play a role in keeping
the communities safe.
“CSEA members in schools are
a lot of times the silent eyes and
ears,” said Kozak. “They hear stuff;
they know what’s going on. So, just
being active and involved is very
important.”
Union members can help by
recognizing student behaviors
that may signal risk, such as social
withdrawal, emotional outbursts,
or sudden changes in appearance,
writing, or artwork. Kozak noted
that it is important for school staff
to fully document and report such
signs, but to remain compassionate
toward students.
During an active shooter situation,
it is best to follow your school’s
safety protocol, find a protective
place to remain out of sight, make
yourself as small as possible to
minimize being a potential target and
if possible, call 911.
Facing the aftermath of a
gun violence incident is just as
important as being prepared for
it. Administrators are advised to
provide accessible, immediate crisis
counseling. Staff may be called upon
to provide extra support to their
school communities, which can
increase their workloads and stress.
“Training is crucial because those
first key moments mean your door’s
closed or not,” said Kozak. “Being
able to recognize and promptly
initiate your lockdowns and your
emergency procedures is critical.
You need everybody well trained,
drilled, and then not conditioned to
think it’s not going to happen here.
We have been lucky in New York, but
it could change very, very quickly.”
— Claire Peretta
“Districts have multiple buildings and the school
district safety plan would include plans for each
location. Members should know, understand
and have access to these important safety
protocols. Emergency plans should be available
to the school community.”
— Beverly Healey, Schenectady Central School
District Secretaries-Registered Nurses Unit President
and Central School District and CSEA Statewide
School District Committee member
Working together for a safer working environment
PATCHOGUE — Potential gun
violence has become a sad reality
for CSEA members working in
schools.
To protect themselves from a
possible attack, CSEA’s Patchogue-
Medford [Pat-Med] School District
Unit members are practicing
precautions to keep themselves
safe.
The realization that more
immediate security was needed
happened when a child in a nearby
school district was caught with a
gun earlier this year.
Recognizing the gun threats were
close to home, Pat-Med School
District officials began implementing
policies and procedures that would
keep district children and workers
safer, including the placement
of metal detectors, installing a
lockdown system and safety drills.
District staff no longer admit
anyone into the school unless that
person is wearing a badge or other
identification that shows a person is
allowed in the school.
“Even if we have an internal
staff meeting, you still need district
identification to get in the building,”
said Luke Meyer, a Patchogue-
Medford Full-Time
Operational Unit
member and
maintenance
mechanic. “Your
picture has to be
on the badge.”
The security
changes have
also allowed for
Meyer
a safer working
environment in other ways.
“If I’m doing maintenance work
in a specific area, I don’t have to
be worried about someone walking
in a door from another area of the
room and walking into something
dangerous,” said Meyer. “Doors are
locked now, so it’s not an issue.”
Conversations about security
updates have opened the door for
Pat-Med School District Unit officers
to both have conversations about
why security changes have been
implemented, as well as engage with
members about other union news.
The leaders of CSEA’s three
Pat-Med units want to keep refining
their relationship with school
district administration to keep
school district workers safe.
— Wendi Bowie
6 The Work Force October 2025