Portland To Vote On School Resource Officers
According to CBS13, the Portland school board is deciding whether to keep school resource officers in the building or change courses. Removal of school resource officers was one of the demands made by the Black Lives Matters protesters some weeks ago after the murder of George Floyd. Some argue that school resource officers can be perceived as intimidating to students and also will help accelerate the school to prison pipeline. Both arguments will be made on the floor of the Board of ED; hopefully, a solution will be found that works for everyone.
On a personal note, I remember being in high school and having a positive relationship with my school resource officer Bruce Everett in East Windsor, Connecticut. He was a nice, empathetic man, later on, in my junior year, when he would do weekend shifts at the movie theater where I worked when I got fired ( for giving free popcorn to my friends) he drove me home and said "it's going to be alright kid!" That allowed me to get to know a police officer where I lived in have some connection to the community that's only my experience I can't speak to others.
When you look at schools like Parkland Florida, the school resource officer did not enter the building when the shooting occurred, not fulfilling his role of making sure the children are safe. So I can see the argument for not having an officer there. If you arent going to do that one job, what is the point? What are your thoughts about school resource officers? Let me know in the comments you never disappoint.
PHOTOS: Protests around the world in the wake of George Floyd's death
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