SROs in, Troublemakers Out?

At its meeting on Monday, April 17, 2006, the Champaign Unit 4 school district approved the use of polices officers (dubbed "School Resource Officers" or "SROs") in middle schools and high schools in the district. News-Gazette April 18.

Today's big news is that some parents in the district are threatening to take their children out of the school district "in protest of the decision to put armed police officers in the schools." News-Gazette April 20.
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[Parent Natalie] Freeman "is concerned about unequal treatment for black children because the Champaign school district is under a consent decree in which the educational achievement and discipline of black children is being monitored, and because a study released last year showed minorities are more likely to be pulled over for traffic stops by Champaign police."

"We already know the children who are going to be targeted (by the officers) are African-American," she said.
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The News-Gazette article goes on to quote the parents' views that (a) the kids aren't learning anything anyway, so why not pull them out of school, (b) you can't expect police officers with only 40 hours of training to be "social workers and educate our kids", and (c) pulling kids out will cost Unit 4 federal school lunch aid money and state aid based on attendance.

Wow, where to start.

First, ladies, know that you are not hurting anyone by trying to home school your kids, other than them. You don't appear to have college degrees, guess what, the teachers of Unit 4 DO! They are trained experts in educating kids!

Second, I don't think the cops at school are going to be "targeting" anyone, anymore than they "target" offenders out on the mean streets. Unless by 'target' you mean 'go after kids who are causing trouble.' Yes, they will be going after them, but I'm sure that won't include your little angels.

Third, if you yank your kids, you won't have anyone to blame when things don't turn out well.

Finally, the consent decree should not be the basis for taking your kids out of the Unit 4 schools, rather it should be the reason you want them there, i.e., lots of things have happened and continue to happen to make Unit 4 schools better for your children.

In a perfect world, there would be no cops in schools. In this world, it seems to have become a necessity. Were that it wasn't so.