Allowing those stories to be shared, though, can quite literally save lives. Some stories deal with harsh realities, but those harsh realities cannot be ignored. LGBTQ students have shared how empowering it is to read books about others like them. Innumerable youth have stated how access to stories different from their own has made them more empathetic. However, research consistently shows that those in affirming spaces report lower rates of suicide attempts, and just one accepting adult in their life can reduce the risk by 40%. They are twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts, three times as likely to make a plan, and twice as likely to make an attempt as others in their age group. Things are worse for LGTBQ youth, who experience discrimination, harassment, and violence at significantly higher rates than their peers. In the U.S., suicide is the second leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 24. Unfortunately, many adults are influenced by hateful propaganda disseminated by groups that target our most vulnerable kids, particularly members of the LGBTQ community. As of July, Pennsylvania was tied with Tennessee for the third-most books banned, behind Texas and Florida. Together, these efforts helped reduce crime on SEPTA by 5% last year.Īs a father and a Christian, I implore voters who favor personal freedom and safe, healthy spaces in which our children can learn to reject censorship and hatred. We remain committed to a holistic approach to homelessness, addiction, and mental health through our industry-leading SCOPE program. To maximize SEPTA’s vast camera network, we recently hired retired police officers to staff a virtual patrol unit and began piloting cutting-edge gun detection technology. As part of our effort to enhance our policing strategies, we regularly meet with peer transit agencies. These new officers will bolster patrols on the Market-Frankford Line and other hot spots. And next month, over 20 new SEPTA officers will begin patrolling the system - increasing the force by more than 10%.

This includes the largest-ever salary increases for SEPTA Transit Police officers, helping us keep our talented law enforcement professionals. Despite a looming fiscal cliff, we increased funding for safety and security by more than 50%. Thanks to SEPTA and Philadelphia police, and our high-quality security video, suspects were immediately identified and arrested. Incidents such as the horrific shootings earlier this year reflect larger societal trends in which arguments escalate into shootings within seconds. SEPTA has been transparent about our challenges. However, Nathaniel Popkin’s op-ed ignores significant action SEPTA has taken to improve safety and security. SEPTA agrees that more needs to be done to combat the city’s gun violence, crime, and antisocial behavior that have spilled onto our system.

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