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The Babylon School District is considering whether to deploy armed security officers at its public schools, a move that would place it among a growing number of Long Island districts reassessing school safety measures in the wake of high-profile shootings nationwide.
District officials stress that no decision has been made and that the discussion remains in an exploratory phase following a months-long review process that included a law enforcement security assessment and a districtwide community survey.
The issue gained attention after the Sept. 4, 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia — which occurred the same day Babylon schools opened for the academic year — and after community members raised the possibility of armed guards at a school board meeting days later, according to a district presentation that also included the survey’s results.
“The implementation of armed guards is a major and potentially transformative undertaking for a school district and one that we are considering with extreme care,” Superintendent Carisa Manza and Board of Education President Linda Jurs said in a joint statement released to Greater Long Island. “The safety of our students and staff remains our utmost priority.”
As part of the review, the district conducted a security assessment with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homeland Security Bureau, which found Babylon’s school buildings to be “highly secure,” according to the district.
Officials also formed a threat assessment team and surveyed staff, parents and students to better understand community perspectives on armed security.
Most of the village, along with barrier beach communities, fall within the school district, which has a student population of about 1,600.
Babylon operates a Junior-Senior High School, a K-2 elementary school and a 3-6 grade school.
Support outweighs opposition
The survey results, which can be found here, showed divided (but not evenly split) opinions, with more respondents expressing support for armed guards than opposition, while a sizable number voiced strong concerns.
According to results presented by the district, 169 respondents said they strongly supported the introduction of armed guards, while 63 said they supported the idea. At the same time, 113 respondents said they strongly opposed armed security, and 28 said they opposed it. Another 41 respondents described themselves as neutral.
In total, 414 people responded to the survey, according to the presentation.
The village’s population is roughly 12,200 residents.
Parents urge action
Parents who support the proposal say armed security could provide faster response times in an emergency and add another layer of protection, particularly given Babylon High School’s proximity to the Long Island Rail Road station and its location in the center of the village.
Joseph Sullivan, a Babylon graduate and single father of a third grader, said interest in armed school security has been building among parents.
“My son is my world. And if anything happened to him, my life would be over,” Sullivan said. “With all these occurrences of school shootings, you think it’s not going to happen to you — until it’s too late.”
A group text chat of roughly 30 to 40 parents — mostly fathers, with some mothers involved — has formed around the issue, and about 20 parents attended a recent school board meeting to raise questions directly with district officials.
Sullivan said he understands concerns raised by district leaders about student mental health, but believes physical safety must remain the priority.
“To put the children’s lives and physical safety on the back burner when you’re worried more about the mental health is silly to me,” he said. “Think of the mental ramifications for these kids if something were to happen.”
Sullivan said he has confidence in local law enforcement, but worries about response times in a worst-case scenario.
“There is a response time,” he said. “That could mean the difference between life and death for any number of children.”
George Kempf is a Babylon Village resident and father of three boys in the district.
He said momentum around the issue appeared to stall not long after the survey results were released, prompting parents to push for renewed discussion.
“We can’t let this go,” he said. “We have to start moving and getting some momentum. Our high school is right next to a train station, in the middle of a village, so we’re in very central locations.”
“For some crazy shooter, Babylon is at the end of the train line, and the first thing he’s going to see is the high school,” Sullivan added.
Both fathers said they believe armed security could be implemented without creating fear among students, particularly if weapons were not openly visible.
“I think people need to be educated on it,” Kempf said. “It’s not just some guy with a gun standing in the school lobby.”
Concerns linger
According to the survey results, opponents of armed guards raised concerns about the potential misuse of force, the risk of accidents, and the possibility that a visible or known armed presence could create anxiety among students or negatively impact school climate.
The district also noted in its Safety and Security Presentation that insurance premiums could rise by $500,000 or more if armed security were introduced.
District officials said they are still gathering empirical data on the costs and benefits of armed guards. Advanced Placement research students are also conducting independent studies as part of the review process.
In statements to Greater Long Island, district officials emphasized that multiple configurations are under consideration.
“The district is consulting with other districts that have implemented armed security to understand associated costs and various operational models,” information provided to GLI by the district reads.
“We are committed to collaborating with all stakeholders in the Babylon school community to find the best-possible solution for our schools, and we appreciate the concern and engagement our parents have shown on this issue,” Manza and Jurs said.
No timeline has been provided for a final recommendation or board vote.
Top: Babylon Junior-Senior High School is located on Railroad Avenue, across from the LIRR station. The district operates two other schools in the village as well. (Credit: GLI/Mike White)
