W. Penn won’t donate money for school safety next year

West Penn Township won’t be donating money to Tamaqua Area School District this time around.

The topic of money for the district’s school security system came up at Monday morning’s board of supervisors meeting.

Supervisor Ted Bogosh noted that supervisors last year agreed to donate $16,000 to the district to be used for security measures at West Penn Elementary School.

Resident Carlton Greve asked why the township felt it had to support the school district.

Board Chairman Tony Prudenti told Greve it was for the “safety of our children.”

“We’re all in this together,” Prudenti said. “The majority of people that go to West Penn Elementary are West Penn residents, and if we can make it safer in any way, I just feel it’s our responsibility to take care of (them).”

Supervisor Tim Houser said it gave the ability for the police department to be even more involved.

“Response time is critical,” Houser said. “We just felt like $16,000 to protect our kids is money well-spent.”

Prudenti noted that last year was a great year for the township, and as a result, they were able to offer it up.

“This year, we won’t be able to,” he said. “It was a timing thing.”

Larry Wittig, president of Tamaqua Area School Board, said the district is currently engaged in a feasibility study, and that the district felt the more prudent way to spend money was to secure the entryway.

“We don’t want to turn our buildings into prisons,” Wittig said. “We want something that’s effective.”

Wittig said that an early detection system was very expensive, and according to the experts, it’s less effective than other means.

Township police Chief Brian Johnson then weighed in on the matter.

“Every child’s life means something,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t matter where they come from.”

Wittig added that the district wants a more sustainable result.

“We’re looking for permanent solutions,” he said. “The patrol issue (down the road) may disappear.”

Prudenti attended the school board’s Nov. 20 meeting, at which time he offered a $16,000 donation to the district on behalf of the board of supervisors to be used for security at the school.

He also asked permission for the township’s police force to increase patrols of the school grounds.

That came after supervisors agreed at their Nov. 19 budget workshop to put that amount in as a line item for this year’s budget.

Prudenti said that action was in response to a policy permitting Tamaqua Area School District employees to carry firearms in school.

He suggested a first responder system, but noted it was all predicated on the school board allowing it.

Prudenti said the first-alert type system alerts police and all the teachers in the building, and tells police exactly where a gunshot occurs in the building.

In addition, Prudenti said that while there is currently a police presence at the school, he would like to see even more of a police presence there.