Dear Editor:

I no longer have children in the Babylon School District and as a result have little contact with the school community. This is not uncommon, and although I feel that it is the duty of an entire community to be responsible for their schools, I understand how you lose touch when your children are no longer in attendance. I occasionally hear of issues but have learned that the discussions in the community are often tainted with personal opinion, innuendo, and sometimes, outright gossip. I also feel that certain issues should be left to the parents of the children who are currently in attendance.

That being said, I was concerned and upset when I heard about the two incidents which occurred in the schools and felt compelled to learn more - especially about how the schools were handling things. I heard lots of different versions all over the community. Prompted by an article in a newspaper, I decided to visit the school web site to read exactly what the Superintendent said to the community. I read her letter and was astounded at what I saw. She said to the community, "It is important for you to know that neither gun was capable of firing, one being an unloaded BB gun and the other what the police referred to as a "toy" gun." Obviously the Superintendent has never taken a gun safety course or spoken to a police officer about the attitude that should be used toward guns. A gun is always loaded and capable of firing! A child should always assume that a gun is capable of firing. What do we want our children to do? Ask someone if the gun they are holding is loaded? Assume that it's not loaded? Take the word of someone that the gun isn't loaded? Consider it less severe if someone brings a gun into school but no ammunition is there?

It's called a universal precaution. A "mindset" will determine actions. If children think that the gun can hurt them, they will get away from it. If they think that there's a possibility that it's not loaded and can't hurt them, they might not tell anyone or, more importantly, they might not leave the area.

I was quite surprised to see this as a clarification that was supposed to ease parents' concerns. It almost appeared as if she was minimizing the issue. The minute I hear someone say that the gun isn't loaded, I know that they don't fully understand the attitude that should be taken toward guns or the perceived fear of the child who is looking at the gun.

I urge everyone in this community to teach their children three basic gun safety rules. First, a gun is always loaded. Secind, If you see a gun, get out of there. And third, find a responsible adult and tell them.

In addition, we need to show our children that any gun in school will be dealt with severely. There are many lessons here and I wonder if the school district missed the boat on them.

Dear Editor:

As many of you are aware, there have been two recent events at the Babylon Schools that have led many to question both the safety of our children and the manner in which the incidents were handled. When dealing with the threat of weapons, whether they are deemed fake or otherwise, it is incumbent upon us as parents and community members to become involved. Attending Board of Education meetings may not always be convenient, but it is necessary so that we can ensure that the Board will monitor and oversee actions of the administration on our behalf.

The Board of Education is holding a work study meeting devoted to improving school safety on Monday, January 26th which I strongly encourage all to attend. As one who has attended the last several Board of Education meetings, I have been asked questions by many people who were not able to attend. Many questions still linger about security. At the December meeting, we were told that the district could not afford the money to give identification cards on lanyards. At the January meeting, we were informed that we have hired two more security guards, given them a raise, and that the school is looking into more cameras which, at the December meeting we were told might be too expensive. While I champion these efforts and support more security, I ask where did the money come from 30 days later? In these difficult economic times, fiscal accountability is imperative. There seems to also be a question of whether or not to close the campus during lunch. While one Board member believes it is a "right of passage," is safety not more important? At one time the prom was held on Memorial Day weekend, which gave students an extra day to enjoy festivities. As issues of safety arose, the date was changed. If that event can be changed due to safety concerns that occurred outside of the school function, would it not make sense to actively investigate and evaluate student safety at school within the confines of the school day?

Finally, there needs to be clarification in terms of privacy issues. If the communities' questions about disciplinary actions against a particular student may not be addressed in public due to privacy laws, why would it be appropriate for the Superintendent to share positive comments from the same student's report card? What as a community are we allowed to be privy too? We all want our schools to be safe and to take a proactive rather than reactive approach when dealing with any future issues. It is only with the input and vigilance of our entire community that we can hope to prevent further confusion and fear in our schools.

Larry Dell'Erba, Babylon