To the Editor:newtownbee.com, June 18, 2018]. We have been strong supporters of the School Safety Officers (SSOs) in Newtown schools. While on the Legislative Council, Neil was privy to the discussion related to their implementation from day one. As parents of a then first grader, our support was not based solely on the potential deterrence of the SSOs, but in part on the peace of mind afforded to parents (ourselves included).The Newtown Bee editor on April 7, 2016 ("Secure Schools are Worth the Price") sums it up perfectly by saying "whether a psychological support or a statistically proven defense against a repeat tragedy in Newtown, council members' decision to support the school system's commitment to an environment of 'optimal safety' deserves community support."

We would like to share our thoughts regarding a recent letter to you entitled "District 28 Senate Candidate Questions School District 10 Decision," [published online at

We can't help but feel somewhat insulted by Michelle McCabe's letter describing a decision made by another district as being a bad decision based on fear when we, as a town, made the same decision in the past. Many years later, as parents, we are still comforted by the presence of our SSOs when they greet us by name when we visit our children's schools. We are still comforted when we see them focus on new faces approaching our doors. And with that comfort in mind, we want to thank our BOE and municipal elected officials, now and in the past, for supporting this effort. It was a joint effort focused on doing what is best for Newtown.

The author of the letter also seems to confuse some facts in an effort to criticize District 10 (and, we would argue, criticize Newtown, as we made the same decision). We agree with her that there is no truth to the argument that more guns mean more safety. Nor will we deny that the presence of a gun increases suicides, homicides, and accidental shootings. But to characterize this effort to keep our schools safe as an argument in favor of the "good guy with a gun" hypothesis is like saying we should disarm our police because fewer guns will make us safer. We have armed, trained, certified law enforcement persons who report to our Chief of Police in our schools, and we are grateful for their presence.

The editorial from

Sincerely,

Neil and Jennifer Chaudhary

1 Southbrook Lane, Newtown June 20, 2018