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Department of Education Chancellor Carmen Fariña assured parents of city students’ safety after Florida shooting

In a letter published on Feb. 15, 2018, Department of Education Chancellor Carmen Fariña  encouraged students, parents and teachers to remain vigilant:
In a letter published on Feb. 15, 2018, Department of Education Chancellor Carmen Fariña encouraged students, parents and teachers to remain vigilant: “If you see something, we need you to say something.” Photo Credit: Getty Images / Joe Raedle

Department of Education Chancellor Carmen Fariña reached out to city parents in a Facebook letter Thursday, a day after 17 people were killed in a Florida high school shooting.

Fariña assured parents on Thursday that all city schools conduct safety drills, including one between Feb. 2 and March 15, and said the department works “in lockstep with the NYPD.” She added that principals will also review “individual safety protocol for their school buildings with school staff.”

The assurances come a day after a 19-year-old opened fire on a high school in Parkland, Fla.

“I am heartbroken for the students and families directly impacted. I also feel for the many families and students across the country — including here in New York City — who see what happened in Florida and may be fearful about their safety in schools,” Fariña wrote. “It is our job to ensure that every school is a safe haven for our children and families.”

She said that teachers have been directed to “engage in the challenging questions and conversations about tragedies like this one” and remind students that they are safe in school. She also stressed the importance of school community members remaining alert.

“We also need your vigilance and partnership to ensure that any safety concern is immediately reported through the proper channels. If you see something, we need you to say something,” Fariña wrote.

The letter was translated into several languages, including Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic.