NYC Proposed Legislation Aims to Expand Security Funding for Small Yeshivas & Religious Schools Amid Rising Hate Crimes

NYC Proposed Legislation Aims to Expand Security Funding for Small Yeshivas & Religious Schools Amid Rising Hate Crimes

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In response to growing concerns over rising anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, New York City religious schools, including smaller yeshivas, could soon receive millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded security measures under new legislation. According to a report in The New York Post, the bill, sponsored by Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan, seeks to expand the city’s existing security grant program to cover all non-public schools, regardless of size. The proposed legislation comes at a time when hate crimes and harassment against minority communities are reaching unprecedented levels, and school leaders argue that additional protection is urgently needed to safeguard students.

Currently, the city’s security funding only applies to non-public schools with more than 300 students. However, Councilman Brannan’s new bill would extend this coverage to smaller institutions, many of which are feeling increasingly vulnerable amid the surge in hate threats. “There is nothing more important than keeping our kids safe when they’re in school,” Brannan said in a statement, according to The New York Post. He emphasized that expanding the Nonpublic School Security Reimbursement Program (NPS) to include smaller schools is a necessary step to ensure that all students, regardless of their school’s size, have access to the same level of protection.

Councilman Brannan framed the expansion as a necessary step to ensure that all students, regardless of the size of their school or religious affiliation, have access to a safe learning environment. “It allows kids to focus on learning and gives parents and guardians priceless peace of mind in an upside-down world. Schools are a place for education, exploration, and inspiration, never hate, fear or violence,” Brannan said, according to The New York Post. The councilman emphasized that the safety of students should not be determined by the type of school they attend. “When it comes to keeping our kids safe, there should be no difference what kind of school building they are learning in. All kids in New York City schools deserve to be safe,” he added.

Maury Litwack, founder and CEO of the Teach Coalition, which advocates for yeshivas and Jewish day schools, echoed Brannan’s concerns. “This is a grim new reality,” Litwack said, noting that the rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia has made it crucial for every school to be equipped with adequate security measures. “Hate crimes and harassment fueled by anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are at record highs, and our children deserve to be protected, no matter where they go to school,” he told The New York Post. Litwack stressed that while the existing security program has been effective for larger schools, smaller institutions must be given the same opportunity to secure resources to keep their students safe.

Litwack added: “This program has been successful and effective, but it needs to be expanded to ensure smaller schools are on a level playing field to get the resources they need to keep their students safe.”

Under the current law, the city is authorized to spend up to $19.8 million annually to reimburse large non-public schools for the cost of hiring security guards. The new bill would expand this funding to include the approximately 550 private and parochial schools in New York City with fewer than 300 students. If passed, this expansion is expected to double the city’s expenditure to nearly $40 million. As per in information contained in The New York Post report, the program would provide reimbursements to schools for the cost of hiring licensed security guards, offering much-needed protection to institutions that previously could not afford such services.

For many of these smaller schools, the threat of violence and harassment is real and growing. Recent years have seen a surge in hate crimes, particularly targeting Jewish and Muslim communities. According to The New York Post, the expansion of the security grant program is seen as a critical step in addressing the unique challenges these communities face in ensuring the safety of their children. “This program has been successful and effective, but it needs to be expanded to ensure smaller schools are on a level playing field to get the resources they need to keep their students safe,” Litwack added.

The proposed expansion of the NPS program highlights the city’s ongoing efforts to address the security needs of its diverse population, particularly in light of the troubling rise in hate-related incidents. For many in the Jewish and Muslim communities, the legislation represents a long-overdue recognition of the risks their schools face. The additional funding would provide the means for smaller religious schools to hire security personnel, helping to create a safer environment for students and staff alike.

However, not everyone is convinced that the expansion is the right move. During a hearing on the bill last month, Beth Haroules of the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) voiced strong opposition to the proposal. Haroules called the current law and the proposed expansion a “violation of the constitutional separation of church and state” and denounced the bill as “bad policy,” according to The New York Post. For Haroules and other critics, the idea of using taxpayer dollars to fund security for religious institutions, even in the name of safety, blurs the line between government and religious organizations, potentially undermining the constitutional principles meant to keep them separate.

Despite these objections, supporters of the bill argue that the security needs of these schools are urgent and non-negotiable, given the rise in threats targeting religious communities. They contend that the program is designed purely for the safety of students and that it should not be seen as an endorsement of any particular religious viewpoint, as was indicated in The New York Post report.  Brannan and his allies emphasize that the program, which already provides security for larger nonpublic schools, has proven effective and that it is only fair to extend these benefits to smaller institutions.

As hate crimes continue to make headlines across the city, the call for expanded security measures has only intensified. Brannan and Litwack argue that the safety of all students, regardless of the size of their school, should be a priority. “Expanding the Nonpublic School Security Reimbursement Program to cover more schools and more students just makes sense because we know the program works,” Brannan told The New York Post. By extending this vital funding to smaller schools, proponents hope to create a safer, more secure learning environment for children across New York City’s religious communities.

While the financial implications of expanding the security grant program are significant, the proposed $40 million budget would be seen as a necessary investment in the safety and well-being of the city’s students. With legislative efforts now underway, supporters of the bill are optimistic that this expanded funding will soon become a reality, offering much-needed peace of mind to thousands of families across the city.

The debate over the bill has also extended beyond religious schools, with representatives from charter schools pushing to be included in the security funding program. Charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately managed, currently have to allocate money from their general budgets to hire security guards. The New York Post also reported that charter school advocates argue that they too face safety concerns and should be eligible for the same support as religious and traditional public schools. According to The New York Post, these charter schools are advocating for their inclusion in the expanded program to ensure that their students are also adequately protected.

If passed, the expansion of the NPS program would nearly double the city’s expenditure on school security from $19.8 million to approximately $40 million. The financial implications, coupled with the constitutional concerns raised by groups like the NYCLU, suggest that the bill is likely to face continued scrutiny before it moves forward. For now, however, the legislation has strong backing from religious school advocates who argue that the safety of children should be the priority.