School safety is a topic of conversation all over the country with threats or incidents being reported every day. Every type of school in the country has the same threats against them as seen in examples such as the Sandy Hook elementary shooting, the Columbine High School shooting, and the Virginia Tech University shooting. Here in New Jersey, school safety and security are supported by the New Jersey Department of Education’s, Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning. This office helps schools in every district of New Jersey by guiding and assisting in their security plans. Parents, teachers and students are encouraged to educate themselves on school safety as much as possible to be prepared for any type of incident or emergency.
Senior Planner Scott Gibson from our Preparedness Bureau sits down with Director Ben Castillo of the Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning to discuss school safety in New Jersey.