CM James Holds Press Conference To Address Student Safety Issues At JHS 117; 5/19; 3:30PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 18th, 2009

Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191

Council Member Letitia James and Schools within the JHS 117 /Francis Scott Key Building will hold a press conference on Student Safety Issues this Tuesday, May 19th at 3:30 pm

Incidents of harassment/violence have become a common occurrence for students attending school at 300 Willoughby Avenue; student safety is of urgent concern for parents and the community

(Brooklyn, NY) Over the last 2 years, students attending the five schools located at the JHS 117/Francis Scott Key school building have been victims of consistent harassment, jumping, and robberies, as they travel to and from the school building towards the G-train subway stop at Classon and Lafayette Avenues, as well as when taking surrounding buses.

This violence came to a head on Thursday, April 30th, when one student was first jumped, and then two students who defended him were attacked by 9-10 neighborhood residents. The assailants did not hesitate to follow the students in the school building, resulting in school staff and school safety injuries, broken glass doors, and a shaken, vulnerable school community.

While the NYPD has always been responsive in making reports and doing cursory investigations, the schools located at 300 Willoughby believe a sustained approach to creating a “safe, secure and supervised corridor for travel is needed, such as a police, or school police presence on Franklin, DeKalb and Classon Avenues, to and from the G train where the majority of incidents take place. Further, the schools want to immediately create a safe corridor through Pratt Institute if possible (similar to what was established with Brooklyn Preparatory High School years ago).

Finally, the schools within the Francis Scott Key building educate many students who live in the surrounding community, including residents from Lafayette Gardens Houses; they look forward to establishing a partnership, and working on community projects with Lafayette Gardens’ youth, as these schools have with other community groups, educators and professionals.

Who: Council Member James, education & safety advocates, parents and community members

What: Press conference to address safety and harassment issues for students

Where: In front of JHS 117- Francis Scott Keys School Building, 300 Willoughby Avenue (between Kent and Franklin Avenues)

When: Tuesday, May 19th, at 3:30 pm

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