Proposed Legislation Would Fund Security Measures For All Religious Schools

By Idy Perl

According to new proposed legislation by Democratic Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan, all private yeshivas and other religious schools might soon receive millions of dollars in funding to hire security guards. 

As antisemitism and hate crime rates rise throughout NYC, legislators are fighting to extend the current law, which funds security only for private parochial schools with more than 300 students. There are around 550 additional private schools in the city with less than 300 students that would benefit from the proposed legislation and would likely double the current security grant program budget.

“Hate crimes and harassment fueled by antisemitism and Islamophobia are at record highs, and our children deserve to be protected, no matter where they go to school,” Maury Litwack, founder and CEO of Teach Coalition, which advocates for Jewish schools, said. “This program has been successful and effective, but it needs to be expanded to ensure smaller schools are on a level playing field to get the resources they need to keep their students safe.”