HPS teachers raise issues of school security after shooting

By Charles Sercombe
The recent shooting deaths at Oxford High School, located north of Detroit, has some local teachers concerned about their safety.
At the monthly Hamtramck School Board meeting last week, several teachers spoke out about their concerns. One common complaint made was that some students were joking about the shooting, where four students died and several others were injured.
Tiffany Stano, a 5th grade teacher at Dickinson West, said that the district needs to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy when it comes to students joking about violence.
“If it can happen in Oxford, it can happen here,” Stano said.
She added: “We are worn down, we are tired and we are scared.”
Theresa Goodridge, an 8th-grade English Language Arts teacher, also echoed the need for beefed-up security.
“We need safety measures,” Goodridge said. “I’ve had kids joking about it too. We need to shut it down.”
A source knowledgeable about security issues confirmed that there is ongoing security training for staff and students.
The district has had occasional threats, but they have been rare, and ultimately proved to be hoaxes.
Days after the meeting, the district posted job offerings for hall monitors on the district’s Facebook page.
Also on the minds of some teachers and administrators was the work relationship with Interim Superintendent Nagi, who has been on the job for about a month since superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed took a sudden family medical leave of absence.
Anthony Kiner, an administrator, praised Nagi for being more communicative.
“Anytime we call, it’s an open line,” Kiner said. “We really appreciate the direction we’re heading.”
Toni Coral, the president of the teachers’ union, also complimented Nagi.
“We no longer wait a week for a reply by email,” Coral said. “There’s a real desire to solve problems.”
Coral said, however, that she is concerned for when Superintendent Ahmed is scheduled to return in January.
Coral feared a “return to secrecy,” and also “farcical transfers.”
Posted Dec. 17, 2021