Nearly two dozen school districts in the red-leaning suburbs of New York City have approved armed guards to safeguard their students, preferring a show of force over further restricting Second Amendment rights in the Empire State.

NYC School Bus.Photo byJean WoloszczykonUnsplash

One such district is the Farmingdale School District in eastern Nassau County, which has over 5,100 students.

Although a coalition of parents, kids, and district staff advocated for the proposal, which was passed by the board of education in February, many area people told Fox News Digital they were unaware of the move this week. However, many people backed the proposal.

Protecting Students At All Costs

Superintendent Paul Defendini detailed the district's proposal in a letter acquired by the local Patch, which includes placing armed guards outside the schools. The guards would only be allowed to enter a building to respond to an active shooter; otherwise, they would be required to remain outside. Smithtown, a big district in nearby Suffolk County, approved similar steps in 2023.

According to Newsday, armed protection now protects approximately 17% of the two counties' 420,000 children at a cost of almost $1 million per district each year. Other boards of education are still considering the proposal.

Dangers of Active Shooting

Opponents stated at a school board meeting before the decision to hire guards that the district had not experienced an active shooter scenario and that armed protection would be excessive. But just across the Long Island Sound, in Newtown, Connecticut, an active shooter killed 26 people in 2012, including 20 children aged six to seven.

According to experts, the best approach to an active shooter is to use force. Police departments are trained to respond swiftly to an active threat. However, proponents of armed guards argue that having someone stationed on campus to confront an intruder is speedier.