By Anthony Favilla
The Levittown Board of Education on Oct. 15 discussed at length a proposal to arm security guards, a move that could cost up to $1 million, at the Levittown Memorial Education Center.
During a presentation on increasing security, Levittown Superintendent Todd Winch outlined a plan. The district could either hire a private security force that could only enter the building in the event of a shooting or arm some of its current security guards to patrol the building. In the second model, only a few would be armed, and they would conceal their weapons.
Private security would cost an estimated $750,000 to $1 million to pay guards, while arming the current guards would cost $350,000 to $750,000, according to the presentation. Winch said that having armed guards in schools is “inevitable.”
At least 20 Long Island school districts already had some form of armed security in place as of May 2024. Many of those districts chose to use contracted security, according to the presentation.
Winch said $500,000 was set aside in the 2025-26 budget for security enhancements. If the board were to arm its own security guards, the money would be available to fund this school year, with potential budget increases to fund it in the future. If the board were to contract armed security, however, additional funding would be needed in the current budget.
Since the school district has a large budget, he did not foresee a major tax hike resulting from the policy.
The board was split on the issue, with members prioritizing children’s safety but differing on how to implement this plan.
“If we are to go forward with this, I’d like to see security have law enforcement experience,” said Michael Pappas, a board trustee. Pappas, who was a member of the New York Police Department for 21 years, said he supports the idea but understands the reservations others might have.
“There are issues in the world that cannot be solved by law enforcement alone,” he said. “There are things that need collaboration between different parts of government, different parts of the school district.”
Winch said that while armed security in the buildings would be former law enforcement officers, he could not confirm whether private security would be. Armed guards in the building would be required to complete annual training, which the district would provide.
Other board trustees, including Marianne Adrian, expressed skepticism about the plan. She emphasized the need for preventive measures and a greater focus on mental health.
“Even if we do this, the core of the issue is that those signs and those mental health concerns for students coming in and murdering people are being missed somehow,” Adrian said.
Jen Chiacchiaro, a longtime Levittown resident, echoed Adrian’s sentiments during public comment. “Threat assessment programs, mental health services, early intervention and safe reporting systems [lead to] reduction in violence, not more guns on campus,” Chiacchairo said.
Arming current security guards would not require additional insurance for the district, according to the presentation. Private vendors would have their own insurance and share liability with the district. With armed security in the building, the school district would hold sole liability.
The board agreed to continue discussions and perhaps put out a board resolution on the issue during an executive session on Oct. 29.
