Lonegan Praises Oroho-Space-Wirths School Security Measure

Hackensack, N.J. – Conservative Republican candidate for Congress Steve Lonegan has praised the actions of Senator Steve Oroho and Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths for their response to the Parkland school shooting. The LD24 legislators (Sussex-Warren-Morris) have instructed the Office of Legislative Services to draft legislation to provide that classroom doors in all school districts and nonpublic schools who receive state security aid are security doors that are bulletproof and can be locked.

Senator Steve Oroho praised Lonegan for raising the issue. “Those of us who listened, said, ‘Lonegan’s on to something.’ So we started talking with many people about this, and found that hardening the security of school classrooms is an idea that’s been overlooked, even as some schools are starting to do it and the free market is offering technology to address this,” Oroho said. “It is a common sense solution that has been largely neglected in the debate.” Oroho specifically thanked Franklin Borough Council President Dawn Fantasia for her assistance.

The LD24 Legislators issued a statement that said: “We need to create safe spaces in schools so that students and teachers can avoid any perpetrator that may be prowling the hallways. The longer and more difficult it is for a perpetrator to get into classrooms, the more time for law enforcement to respond and the more lives to be saved. A wood composition door with an inferior lock leaves only the teacher’s body to shield her students. This has to end. We have the technology to protect every classroom in New Jersey, every classroom in America. Let’s use it!”

“A tragedy like this brings out many emotions, and many in public life — from elected officials to entertainment celebrities — sometimes prey on those emotions,” Lonegan said. “I am proud to say that these representatives of the people did more than play to emotions. They thought about the problem and came up with a solution.”

“As my wife, a teacher for nearly four decades, and many others like her understand, lockdown drills are not enough to stop the next tragedy. Huddling our kids in a corner, shutting the lights and locking a flimsy door will do little to protect them. We should spare no expense to implement security measures like these to make sure our kids, teachers and staff are spared from the next school shooter.

“As a society, we can no longer allow this to continue,” added Lonegan. “I urge members of Congress to follow the lead of Senator Oroho and Assemblymen Space and Wirths to ensure that every school in America puts in place this sensible, yet necessary security measure.”