LACKAWANNA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Parents in the Lackawanna City School District contacted 7 News to voice their concerns about starting the new school year without a School Resource Officer or SRO.
Parents I spoke with say they are concerned that without that role inside these buildings, students are missing an extra level of security and an important resource in the district.
"It should have been figured out before school started," said Lynn Bader, who has two young children in Lackawanna Schools. "He's like a safety net for them."
Bader told me that for the last two years, the SRO who is a Lackawanna police officer, has not only helped her children feel safe but has also played a critical role in bridging the gap between students, families and the community.
But this year, he's not around.
"My understanding as to why is they are still negotiating a contract," said Bader.
And she said that's troubling.
"He cares, and you can see that he cares, he makes a great connection with the kids," said Bader. "He gets down to their level, he goes above and beyond to help the kids, the community and the school."
According to Bader, while there are security guards in each of the district's buildings, the SRO provides an extra layer of comfort for students and families.
She said she's attended recent school board meetings and city council meetings trying to get answers and has also started a petition to get an SRO back in the schools.
"There are over 140 names and we are still going," said Bader.
I reached out to the school district for comment and received a statement from Lackawanna Superintendent Nadia Nashir that said in part:
"The safety of students and staff at Lackawanna City School District is our top priority...We appreciate our partnership with the City of Lackawanna Police Department and are optimistic the negotiations will be resolved soon."
A spokesperson for the City of Lackawanna also provided a statement:
"The city is currently in negotiations with the Lackawanna School District and awaiting feedback from the district. As this is an ongoing negotiation we'll have no additional comment at this time."
For the parents who signed her petition, Bader said bringing an SRO back into the district can't happen soon enough, "I would like to see him reinstated immediately."
