For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
OCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 18, 2020— Yesterday Montgomery County Councilmembers Will Jawando and Hans Riemer introduced legislation to prohibit the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) from deploying School Resource Officers (SROs) in County public schools. Bill 46-20 aims to address disparities in outcomes among Black and Latino students who have policing interactions with SROs. The bill would also require MCPD to continue to provide adequate local law enforcement coverage for public schools as required by State and County law.
“This legislation ending the School Resource Officer program is an important step towards reducing the disparate impact of policing in our schools,” Councilmember Jawando said. “Students of color fare worse than their white peers across the board in school discipline policies, and particularly when it comes to arrests and their resulting interactions with the criminal justice system. This bill and accompanying appropriations support all students by removing police from schools and reinvesting those funds into restorative justice training, therapeutic services, and targeted programs for at-risk youth.”
Councilmember Riemer said: “Police officers in schools inevitably make arrests. Progressive school districts have shifted away from this model and instead invested in alternative disciplinary approaches and supportive interventions. The County should partner with MCPS to take on this challenge in a more visionary way that can promote safety while not fostering disparate outcomes in the justice system.”
According to official data, Black students are 275 percent more likely to be arrested in school than their white peers, while Latino students are 86 percent more likely to be arrested in school than their white peers. Black students are nearly 20 times more likely to be held by the Department of Juvenile Services for pretrial detainment for misdemeanor offenses than their white peers, and are 85 percent less likely to be referred for Screening and Assessment Services for Children and Adolescents (SASCA) Diversion Programs for substance abuse and mental health screenings. Black students are also 320 percent more likely to be incarcerated at the conclusion of their trial than white students
The deployment of school resource officers has been associated with more incidents of school crime and disruption. School mental health programs, on the other hand, have been shown to reduce suspensions, reduce behavioral problems, decrease absences, reduce disciplinary problems and increase academic achievement. Montgomery County Public Schools fall short of the student to mental health and counseling staff ratios recommended by the National Association of School Psychologists and the American School Counselor Association. Students of color would benefit from more opportunity to speak with therapists, nurses and school psychologists with diverse backgrounds who can speak to the challenges they are facing.
The Council staff report for Bill 46-20 can be viewed here.
Councilmember Jawando’s remarks at the introduction of Bill 46-20 can be viewed here.
Councilmember Riemer’s remarks at the introduction of Bill 46-20 can be viewed here.
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Release ID: 20-458