There have been three school knife attacks in three days.

There have been two slashings in the Bronx, including one at a charter school.  A student was also stabbed in the stomach at Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn. 

Mayor Eric Adams’ budget cuts have hit school safety officers hard.  

Just before they were supposed to be hired, 250 School Safety Agents recently found out they were out, due to the mayor’s budget cuts. 

The agents patrol New York City public schools and are trained to deescalate violent situations, but don’t carry weapons.  They’re part of Teamsters Local 237, and Gregory Floyd is its president. 

He says Adams’ suggestion of parents manning the schools just won’t work. 

“Parents aren’t trained to step into this role...parents do not have time to step into this role...parents won’t adequately be able to do the job because under the New York state law the parents are not included – so if a parent goes in there and touches any child, the parent can be sued,” Floyd told News 12 New York.    Floyd says just a few years ago, there were 5,200 School Safety Agents patrolling New York City public schools.  Now, there are about 3,700 – and about 500 per year leave their posts. 

According to the mayor’s Management Report released this past September, felony crimes rose 16% in public schools in 2022. 7,000 weapons, including 15 guns, were seized from students. 

The Department of Education didn’t get back to News 12 with a comment, but the safety agents fall under NYPD jurisdiction.  It said in a statement: 

"Each day, School Safety Agents work diligently to enhance the quality of New York City public education by maintaining a safe and secure environment in the city's public schools...we are fully confident that our current agents will continue to provide security and ensure the safety of students, faculty and visitors in New York City Public School buildings. "   Floyd says it’s just not enough.  He fears that children will take over the schools. 

  “The gangs are there, the violence is there, it will move from the outside to the inside of the schools with no consequences, if you can’t lock up children for weapons. If there’s no consequence, there’s going to be chaos and disaster,” he said. 

Floyd says because of the escalating violence, the city has replenished some of the School Safety Agent budget. 

There will be another class and it will include 135 agents, but that’s down from 250.