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Gov. Scott pledges $2 million to keep Jewish day schools safer in South Florida

Posted at 7:58 AM, May 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-17 05:39:18-04

Gov. Rick Scott is making good on a promise he made in 2017 to find funding for more safety measures at Jewish day schools in South Florida.

Scott made the announcement to spend $2 million for security funding Wednesday morning at the Torah Academy in Boca Raton.

“Every child deserves to go to a school where it is safe,” Scott said Wednesday.

The changes come after several Jewish campuses across South Florida faced serious threats in 2017, including bomb threats and vandalism.

“The funding from the state is really a game changer to ensure the safety of our students,” said the Dean of Students Rabi Reuven Feinberg. “When parents send their children to us, they need to feel with 100 percent certainty their children are safe.”

Torah Academy has added 300 students over the last 10 years from pre-school to middle school.

The school already has a plan in place on how to spend this new money.

"We are looking to enhance our points on entry, our perimeter and things that have been identified by the Boca Raton Police Department,” said Feinberg. 

The money will also pay for security upgrades including new fences, video cameras, alarm systems and even bulletproof glass.