Candi Santana
Staff Writer
After a shooting, East Stroudsburg University feels unsafe, and it feels as though the safety of the students has not always been the college’s priority. Although the shooting happened on Oct.27 other situations have made the community question whether it’s being taken seriously or not.
Even after increased security, there are still reports of theft and vandalism. Is the ESU community being lied to? Should the residents feel safe? I think this is a common promise made by people in power.
To say the ESU community is scared would be disrespectful. They are worried, and their anxieties won’t diminish with more security. Something like a shooting should not happen on a college campus, and the police shouldn’t wait until something bad happens to ensure safety.
If the presence of more security helped, we would see a boost in morale, but we have not.
There is still an abundance of problems that are worth concern. Why is it so easy to enter a building in ESU? Why is our campus so accessible? Why put measures to protect the people and not enforce them?
People are being followed into buildings by people who don’t even go here. People will wait patiently before entering a building subtly. If that is not worrying, then I don’t know what is.
I have more questions than answers, and I am not alone.
People should not feel a sense of familiarity regarding the threat to safety. The normalization of these actions is what allowed people who aren’t part of this community in.
College is supposed to set an example for real life. College could be where someone goes to get away from their unsafe environment, and we are taking that away from them.
The police are looking at the wrong things. Promises are different than actions, and we are not asking for either. We are asking for consistent change. We are demanding a step forward instead of backward.
To regain trust, ESU must take accountability. Accountability is not just an email saying we are sorry. Accountability is working with the community to get this fixed. Accountability is admitting that maybe you failed.
The result of not ensuring safety is the loss of communication with your community. Where can people go if they feel uncomfortable? The answer is nowhere on campus. Not after all that happened.
Not speaking up has made safety something to ponder when it should be definite. The lack of words by individuals does not always mean something is working. It may mean they have given up hope.
I do not think we are being lied to, but I think the efforts are disingenuous. I am not scared, but I am disappointed. To imagine the words “Are you safe” from a mother is ridiculous.