Binghamton Government, Schools Plan Partnership

The city of Binghamton is developing a partnership with the City School District to address some of the safety and educational issues affecting young people.

Mayor Richard David and school superintendent Marion Martinez say the initiative seeks to use community assets to help the city's youth.

One of the goals is to create safer neighborhoods and schools. The program is to address violence, harassment and gang involvement.

Another goal is to provide two school resource officers for East and West Middle Schools.

The initiative also is to improve the quality of transportation services to and from schools.

The mayor says he's appointing former Binghamton High School principal Albert Penna to lead what's being called the "Youth Success Initiative." Penna was high school prinicipal for about two decades.

Parents of some city school students have complained that their children have had to deal with violence and harassment in school and on their way to and from school.

City police occasionally increase patrols around Binghamton schools and in spots where problems have been reported. Some parents have said not enough has been done to address ongoing issues.