New York’s Staten Island. In solidarity, hundreds of Curtis and McKee High School students and faculty members joined Staten Island politicians for a Walk Against Violence on Tuesday afternoon in St. George.
“The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) sponsored the walk to raise awareness and emphasize the need for safe commuting to and from school and while in school,” Melissa Khan, the UFT’s deputy press secretary, said in a statement released before the event. The walk was organized in response to a number of disturbing incidents that occurred in the area earlier in the school year.
The walk began at Curtis and wound its way several blocks past McKee to a Richmond Terrace bus shelter that is frequently visited by students. Many people held signs with the slogan “We are UFT United Against Violence.” This was a symbolic reference to a safe corridor of streets near New York City schools that are patrolled daily by NYPD and Department of Education personnel to ensure that students can commute to and from school safely.
Chris Alena, Curtis’ wrestling coach and UFT chapter head, stated, “We are here today united and committed to keeping our schools, students, and our community safe.” We intend to use this as the first of many initiatives to increase public awareness of safety.
D.A. Michael E. McMahon and Charles Donohue, the UFT chapter leader and basketball coach at McKee High School, address prior to the “Walk Against Violence” in St. George on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. As stated by Scott R. Axelrod and the Staten Island AdvanceAxelrod, Scott R.
Charles Donohue, McKee’s basketball coach and UFT chapter head, mirrored Alena’s feelings, stressing that the walk was a crucial means of communicating to students that they have a safe route to walk in peace as they get to and from their separate institutions.
The cheerful group took a roundabout path around the North Shore neighborhood, and NYPD officers, lead by Deputy Inspector Eric Waldhelm, the Commanding Officer of the 120th Precinct, were on hand to make sure the walk went successfully.
According to Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, “if we as a society cannot guarantee every student that you are safe when you travel to school, while you are at school, and when you are coming home from school, then we are failing as a society when it comes to our children, and that is unacceptable.”
We are here today to tell our kids, our students, and those who have an impact on them every day that we, as law enforcement, will work diligently alongside you to ensure that the school’s hallways and corridors are safe, and we won’t stop until we achieve that, he said.
Chris Alena, a UFT chapter leader and wrestling coach at Curtis High School, speaks to the crowd on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at the “Walk Against Violence” in St. George. As stated by Scott R. Axelrod and the Staten Island AdvanceAxelrod, Scott R.
A 17-year-old male student was arrested by the police after it was found during a routine check after he allegedly entered Curtis High School with a loaded revolver in mid-September.
Two days later, in a terrifying occurrence that happened in broad daylight, a 17-year-old kid was hurt when at least five rounds were fired in a park across the street from McKee High School.
According to Aldo Pineda, a junior at Curtis, “it’s really hard out here being around an area where there’s always violence; It’s kind of hard to feel safe.” Raising awareness of the violence and the fact that people are dying outside is a good thing.
Joshua Torres, a student at McKee, stated that he thought it was crucial to take part in the walk because: More people will simply die and more people will no longer be here if you’re supporting the violence and allowing it to carry on. That simply deprives the world of more opportunities.
On Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, D.A. Michael McMahon, NYPD, and UFT members joined students and staff from Curtis and McKee high schools for a “Walk Against Violence” in St. George. As stated by Scott R. Axelrod and the Staten Island AdvanceAxelrod, Scott R.
On Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, D.A. Michael McMahon, NYPD, and UFT members joined students and staff from Curtis and McKee high schools for a “Walk Against Violence” in St. George. As stated by Scott R. Axelrod and the Staten Island AdvanceAxelrod, Scott R.
On Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, D.A. Michael McMahon, NYPD, and UFT members joined students and staff from Curtis and McKee high schools for a “Walk Against Violence” in St. George. As stated by Scott R. Axelrod and the Staten Island AdvanceAxelrod, Scott R.
On Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, D.A. Michael McMahon, NYPD, and UFT members joined students and staff from Curtis and McKee high schools for a “Walk Against Violence” in St. George. As stated by Scott R. Axelrod and the Staten Island AdvanceAxelrod, Scott R.
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