Chicago Public Schools could become the latest major school district to pull police officers from its school buildings amid nationwide calls for police reform in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month.
School Resource Officers
An ordinance that would terminate the $33 million contract between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Police Department failed to advance Wednesday, but supporters of the measure vowed to continue their campaign.
Protesters across the city and nation continue to push for police reforms that some elected officials say should include defunding the police. That’s just one of the topics on the City Council’s packed agenda Wednesday.
Public school districts in Minneapolis, Denver and Seattle have recently suspended or outright terminated their contracts with local police departments. Could Chicago Public Schools be next?
“Yeah we’re not gonna do that,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said during a Friday morning press conference when asked if she would consider canceling CPS’ existing contract with the Chicago Police Department. “Unfortunately, we need security in our schools.”
One in 10 school resource officers stationed within Chicago Public Schools have had 10 or more misconduct complaints lodged against them, operating in a system with little oversight and no specialized training, a new study by the Shriver Center states.
