With two professionals supporting a proposed Great Neck Public Schools Board of Education policy on staff identification badges, there was still some opposition at the policy's third reading at the Oct. 18 board meeting. Both New York State Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Michael Balboni and Vigilant Fire Company President Andrew DeMartin strongly supported staff and faculty wearing identification badges in school. Others, including some student delegates to the board and North High Principal Bernard Kaplan, felt this step is unnecessary and possibly a deterrent to good relationships within a school building.

The policy on staff identification badges is proposed to read as follows:

"All faculty and staff members in the district are required to wear the personal identification badge provided by the school district at all times during the workday and during any district-sponsored events.

"Faculty and staff members new to the district will be issued a temporary identification badge by the Office of Human Resources to be worn until such time as a permanent badge can be produced.

"Faculty and staff members are to report lost, stolen or damaged badges immediately to the assistant superintendent for business. Faculty and staff members will be given a temporary identification badge under those circumstances.

"All identification badges remain the property of the school district and must be returned to the district immediately upon cessation of employment."

Even before the policy discussion, Secretary Balboni, who was at the first part of the meeting to accept the school board's "Friend of Education Award," noted the controversy in his remarks. "Knowing who is in your school is so important; the threat can come from within, but can also come from outside," he cautioned. Then he told the school board: "Adopt it, do all you can." And he added, "Great Neck should lead the way ... at the end of the day, it's all about the kids."

Later in the evening Board Vice President Fran Langsner, chair of the policy committee, opened the ID badge policy hearing. She said that, following the comments at the prior hearings, the policy committee had met again and discussed the issues and the comments, and they had done some research, looking at other school districts and considering state recommendations.

Quickly, a student delegate from South High spoke up, stating that when the proposal was presented to the students, there was a unanimous vote against the policy. His counterpart at North High suggested that ID badges are needed, but did not necessarily have to be worn; they could be carried in a pocket.

Trustee Lawrence Gross responded, asking that the student delegates again take the issue back to their schools, all the while remembering that the school board does have responsibility.

Mr. DeMartin, a commissioner of the Nassau County Fire Commission and chair of the 8th battalion, has a tremendous amount of experience with fire-related incidents and disaster-related security issues. He reiterated Secretary Balboni's remarks and termed the wearing of ID badges "a basic elementary school safety tool."

Mr. DeMartin offered an example, speaking of a nursing home fire years ago, where someone who was not really a staff member put firefighters in danger when she reported that people were trapped in an area of the building that did not house any residents. He stressed that firefighters and other emergency workers cannot possibly know who is in charge, or who has any real knowledge, unless ID badges are worn.

Mr. De Martin then spoke of a recommendation from the fire marshal's office, "imploring you to adopt this policy." He went on to discuss hostage situations, when it would be imperative to quickly identify each person. "Listen to Mike Balboni, listen to the firefighters," he stated.

Board of Education President Barbara Berkowitz noted the large amount of new faculty members this year, 87, and how difficult it is for everyone to know everyone else, even in the same building. And she emphasized the great responsibility that rests with the board and the administration in a decision such as this one. She added also that at times they have to make districtwide decisions, not just based on individual buildings. "We have the responsibility for the students and the teachers," Ms. Berkowitz stated.

Nancy Chauvin, president of the Great Neck Teachers Association (GNTA), said that the GNTA had not yet taken an official position, but she had contacted each building and all but one felt that they had to consider "this world in which we live." Some, she said, welcomed the idea of wearing ID badges.

Ms. Berkowitz then noted that, for security reasons, last year the budget included three-quarters of a million dollars for interior door locks, a reflection on the times in which we now live.

A representative of the North High shared decision-making committee said that the issue had not been properly discussed as yet. And at that point, Ms. Langsner indicated that there would not be a vote that evening.

Ms. Langsner went on to say that "the schools are the safest place for our children, they spend so much time there." She said that "effective security needs to be redundant and this is another layer." Ms. Langsner emphasized that the "professionals" (Secretary Balboni and Mr. De Martin) support wearing ID badges, and she said that the policy committee would once again discuss this proposed policy.

When a parent asked if funds would have to be taken from programs to support extra security measures, Superintendent of Schools Ronald Friedman stated that no funds have been taken from any programs and that the ID badge proposal "is not a major expense." And Ms. Berkowitz added that there will be "more levels of security to come," such as increased lighting and security guards. She also said that they will be seeking input from each of the schools.

District consultant David Kincaid, long an integral part of the district's infrastructure and security issues and projects, reminded everyone that what they are talking about is "chaos and confusion in case something happens." Having grown up in London during World War II, Mr. Kincaid knows firsthand of disaster and emergency situations, "when people come in to a building and need to quickly and efficiently differentiate" and badges, he said, would accomplish this.

North High Principal Bernard Kaplan once again voiced his concerns and basic opposition to wearing the ID badges. Stating that he would "do anything to keep the kids safe," he noted that this is a "national issue" and he questioned the "reality" of how all of this relates to Great Neck. Thanking the board for the "process," Mr. Kaplan said that "It is the process that keeps us most safe." He went on to talk of "different needs" at different schools.

Ms. Berkowitz then recognized that there are differences, but she said that any decision must be uniform, each policy must be uniform, unless there is a deliberate effort to tailor a policy in some way.

Mr. DeMartin then spoke again, saying that if there was an instance of a "mass casualty," the same steps must be taken at all of the schools. He also said that it would be a good idea to have the badges contain important medical information too, in case of an emergency situation. "Our response would be identical in all schools," Mr. DeMartin said.

Mr. Kaplan then reminded everyone that 90 percent of all school incidents are caused by a student within the school. "We want to prevent incidents," Mr. Kaplan said, adding "this is a complex issue."

Responding, Mr. DeMartin stated that there are many other kinds of incidents too, and that IDs are important for help in all situations. He said that emergency incidents are 99 percent of his job and that ID badges are "the baseline of security ... the minimum of what you can do."

Ending the discussion, Ms. Langsner said that the policy committee would take up this issue again at the next meeting. It is expected that the policy will be heard again for a fourth reading at the Nov. 5 board of education meeting.