Expert Briefing: Protecting Educational Institutions and Other Learning Spaces Against Terrorist Attacks
On July 17, 2024, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and SENTRY co-hosted the Expert Briefing on “Protecting Educational Institutions and Other Learning Spaces Against Terrorist Attacks.” Held virtually via Microsoft Teams, the event brought together a global network of experts to discuss and share best practices and policies for enhancing the security of schools, universities, and other educational spaces. The program began with opening remarks from representatives of UNOCT and SENTRY, where SENTRY Director Michael Silevitch highlighted the importance of expanding our collaborative efforts to better protect students and schools.
The event featured presentations from two SENTRY experts. The first presentation was given by Mark Pompano, Director of Security for Newtown, Connecticut Public Schools, the site of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 where 20 children and six adult staff members tragically lost their lives to a gunman. One of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, Mark spoke of his strategy for improving school security protocols in response to that attack, “We look at security from a layered approach. It includes planning, command and control, communications, training, structural enhancement, security personnel, and community partnerships.” Mark emphasized the need for planning and communication to successfully implement best practices, explaining, “We don’t do security in a vacuum. It’s a team effort. I believe it is everyone’s responsibility to be involved in keeping students safe.”
Next, Michelle Laboy, the SENTRY Layered Security Architecture Design and Simulation Research Lead, presented her research findings and their practical implications for enhancing security through the design and construction of educational buildings. She explained, “Practicing architects, especially those designing schools, increasingly need to consider security.” Michelle highlighted some of the challenges her team addresses to better assist decision-makers in enhancing school security through design, including the fact that some widely recommended security measures have limited evidence of effectiveness and potential downsides, using limited resources in ways that can potentially worsen life safety and school climate. In response, SENTRY researchers are conducting systematic studies to evaluate how new guidelines can be more adaptable to different contexts, present the evidence more effectively, and provide a more nuanced understanding of the trade-offs associated with specific design choices.
An open discussion followed these presentations in which experts were asked about the current security best practices in the United States, how SENTRY researchers are working to improve on current limitations and overcome security challenges, and how these learnings could be applied to protect educational spaces globally. The closing remarks emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration and the implementation of discussed security strategies. Michael Silevitch expressed his willingness to continue the dialogue, planning further discussions with attendees to create safer school environments.
For those interested in recordings from the event, you can find the presentations on SENTRY’s YouTube channel.
