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Teachers have asked Paterson Public Schools to change after-school events after crime has rocked the city this summer.

(File photo)

Teachers in Paterson have asked the superintendent to change the start times of back-to-school nights following a reduction in school security that comes while the city is in the grips of a spate of violence.

Teachers in the Paterson Education Association asked Paterson Public Schools to change the events scheduled to be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to instead start at 1:30 p.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. The after-school activities are scheduled for dates later in the month of September.

The school recently reduced the total number of security officers in schools throughout the district due to budget constraints.

There were 274 total security officers employed by the school for the 2015-16 school year, but only 187 security officers employed for the current school year, according to the district's data.

"If the district fails to comply, the union is prepared to request that all members email the superintendent expressing their concern about the lack of security at their schools and work-sites," the union stated in a news release.

The union pointed to a crime-plagued summer in the Silk City as evidence for why the events should be moved. The union said its members would "flood" the district office if their request was not met. A representative from the school didn't immediately return requests for comment.

Paterson has seen 15 homicides and 65 shootings so far in 2016.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.