Under a new security policy effective this school year, all Stuyvesant employees must wear identification cards at all times while in the building.
Principal Stanley Teitel said he hopes this measure will tighten security. “Students can [now] differentiate between someone that is supposed to be there and someone that is not,” he said. “If [students] see someone that is not supposed to be there, they should report it to security and we’ll go find that person.”
“There have been adults in the building without the administration’s knowledge. Nothing has happened as a result, but as [the adults] were able to approach students, it is a cause for concern,” said Assistant Principal Eric Grossman.
It does not matter where teachers wear the ID cards as long as they are visible. Substitute teachers are given temporary ID cards.
There are no repercussions for staff members who forget to wear their ID card. “If I see someone not wearing it, I would just remind them,” Teitel said.
Teitel first introduced the idea of a faculty ID system at a November 21, 2006 Student Leadership Team meeting, along with the locker policy and the use of scanners in the mornings, during lunch and at dismissal.
The teacher identification system was met with different responses from the faculty. Some staff members don’t mind wearing the ID cards because they believe the policy contributes to a safer environment at Stuyvesant. “I feel safe here, but I know that anything is possible. So, wearing ID cards, [even] if it makes students a little bit safer, I think should be done,” said Grossman.
“9/11 was six years ago and because of where we are in Manhattan, it’s important to know about our safety,” said Assisant Principal Guidance Eleanor Archie. “It’s our location that requires this.”
“I don’t really mind. It’s too early to tell,” said computer science teacher Ashvin Jaishankar.
Other staff members disagree with the new security measure. “We don’t really have a huge staff. Security certainly recognizes us. Are IDs really going to help us at a time of emergency?” said librarian Chris Asch.
“I’m not fine with it, but there can be an adult [here] that shouldn’t be here. It’s a preventative measure,” said math teacher Susan Rubin.