44 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 30, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
kids & education
SpoSnpsoonresdo rbeyd by
Rosenthal, Pheffer Amato call on state to
increase nonpublic school security funding
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Aft er a string of anti-Semitic attacks
in the Jewish community, Assembly
members Daniel Rosenthal and Stacey
Pheffer Amato are calling upon the
New York state Legislature to substantially
increase security funding for nonpublic
schools in the New York state
budget.
Historically, the New York state
Legislature allocated $15 million annually
for the Nonpublic School Safety
Equipment (NPSE) Grant, which translates
into approximately $37 per child.
In response to recent events, New Jersey
increased its allocation to $150 per
child for security, doubling its previous
rate. Rosenthal and Pheff er Amato
are proposing New York double its allocation
to $30 million, to protect children
against the dangers caused by rising
anti-Semitism.
“All children — public school and nonpublic
school alike — need to feel and be
safe,” Rosenthal said. “I hear daily from
individuals, schools and houses of worship
about their security concerns in the
wake of these attacks. No parent should
have to worry about their child being
the target of hate-fueled violence. Anti-
Semitism has no place in New York; this
Student Accounts- Checking & Savings
Our Student Banking Program1 is designed to fit the needs of today’s college students.
Our Student Statement Savings and Student Checking2 Accounts make it easy for
college students (depositor must be 18 years or older) to manage their finances and save
money. There’s no monthly fee, no minimum balance requirement and only $1.00 to
open the account. Student Checking even has Unlimited check writing.
Ask Us for More Details!
(877) 786-6560 • myNYCB.com
1Student Banking is available for personal accounts only and is free of maintenance and activity fees.
2Student Checking Accounts with a Visa® debit card are automatically enrolled in the Even >more Rewards
Program. For complete terms and conditions speak with a branch representative. Restrictions apply.
© New York Community Bank- Member FDIC
funding affi rms our commitment to protecting
our children.”
Th e NPSE Grant is a streamlined,
noncompetitive grant available to nearly
all nonpublic K-12 schools, regardless
of size. Th e reimbursement form
is two pages long — its goal is to protect
kids, not add paperwork or complexity.
At the request of Agudath Israel
and others, the NPSE Grant has been
expanded to reimburse a wide array of
security upgrades, as well as safety and
health items.
According to Pheff er Amato, there is a
sense of urgency felt to safeguard Jewish
communities, especially the youngest
and most vulnerable citizens.
“I feel strongly that this funding is
critical to take a stand against the recent
spike in anti-Semitic hate crimes which,
unfortunately, show no sign of decelerating,”
Amato said. “I am hopeful that
this funding will be granted so that a
measure of peace can be felt by those
who may be targeted, and so that we
join together to demonstrate our stand
against hate.”
Aside from recent high-profile
attacks, there have been almost
daily incidents of knockdowns,
rock throwing, cursing, spitting and
other forms of abuse aimed at visibly
Jewish individuals. In the past year,
New York City has seen a 20 percent
increase in hate crimes and a 26 percent
increase in anti-Semitic attacks,
which comprise 55 percent of all hate
crimes.
Rabbi Yeruchin Silber, director of
New York Government Relations
for Agudath Israel of America,
said, “With the dramatic spike in
anti-Semitism incidents, security is
foremost on our minds nowadays.”
“We thank Assembly members
Rosenthal and Pheff er Amato for standing
up and working with us, and taking
the lead on this critical issue,” Silber
added.
James Cultrara, executive secretary
of the NYS Council of Catholic School
Superintendents expressed gratitude
toward the Assembly members for their
leadership.
“The Catholic school community
is very grateful to Assembly members
Stacey Pheff er Amato and Daniel
Rosenthal for their eff orts to increase
funding to meet the health, safety,
and security needs of school children
regardless of where they go to schools,”
Cultrara said.
QNS fi le photos
Assembly members Daniel Rosenthal and Stacey Pheff er Amato.
/myNYCB.com
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
