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The Chicago Board of Education meeting is set to begin in just a few minutes.
As you may have heard, they'll be voting on a motion to terminate the CPS contract with the Chicago Police Department.
As you may have heard, they'll be voting on a motion to terminate the CPS contract with the Chicago Police Department.
Streaming link to watch the meeting: https://www.youtube.com/chipubschools
Meeting is underway now...
Speaking about school resource officers, CPS CEO Janice Jackson said she's heard from students families and school leaders on this topic, and understands there are "real concerns that must be addressed."
Jackson reiterated what she said Monday: that she doesn't believe a top-down mandate on school resource officers makes sense.
"My personal views continue to evolve," she said, "but I also want to make sure that we do the right thing."
"My personal views continue to evolve," she said, "but I also want to make sure that we do the right thing."
. @CTULocal1 President Jesse Sharkey now asking board to vote to terminate CPD contract.
“Police do not make students or staff safer,” he said.
“Police do not make students or staff safer,” he said.
Rev. Marvin Hunter, the great uncle of Laquan McDonald, speaking to the board now about terminating police contract.
"The optics of having police officers in schools is not a good look."
"The optics of having police officers in schools is not a good look."
However, Hunter says resource officers are a necessity in schools, though he believes there "needs to be more conversation around this issue."
Ald. Pat Dowell asks the board to take a "measured" approach to the school resource officer contract.
"These SROs can be a very important part of a school community and our students deserve to learn in a safe, calm setting."
"These SROs can be a very important part of a school community and our students deserve to learn in a safe, calm setting."
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez says “It’s unconscionable” for CPS to give police department $33M.
"It is not the right thing to do," he said. "It's immoral. It's wrong."
"It is not the right thing to do," he said. "It's immoral. It's wrong."
We're getting closer to reaching a City Council quorum here with our 11th alderman now speaking to the board about the CPS school resource officer contract.
CPS conducted survey in May-June on SRO program. Here are some of the results:
Board member Elizabeth Todd-Breland is now presenting the motion to terminate the CPS contract with the police department.
Board member Elizabeth Todd-Breland: “Reforming the SRO program is not enough, police do not belong in our schools, that this is a systemic issue and it is a civil rights issue and it is our role to dismantle, not reform, the school-to-prison pipeline.”
Todd-Breland says to students and youth activists who have spoken out on the SRO program: “I want you to know that I hear you ... thank you for fighting for our lives."
Todd-Breland continues: "It is not enough to reform or make a better-trained or kinder school-to-prison pipeline. We must dismantle the school-to-prison and this requires the removal of SROs from our schools.”
Board member Dwayne Truss says SROs are needed in the schools that want them. He said schools have become sanctuaries for kids who are being impacted by gun violence.
Now speaking is board member Sendhil Revuluri, who says that CPS is long overdue for reimagining what safety and security looks like inside schools.
Revuluri said he's aware of a high schooler who was elected to their LSC, but was denied the ability vote on their SRO program.
Amy Rome, who is promoting this motion along with Todd-Breland: "Despite improved reform and training, complaints against SROs continue to be alarming and affect Black students far more often than their White peers."
Rome says police in schools are not a deterrent to school shootings.
She's heard from kids who say they feel less safe and fear being entered into gang database. Undocumented students tell their parents not to come to their schools to avoid being reported to ICE.
She's heard from kids who say they feel less safe and fear being entered into gang database. Undocumented students tell their parents not to come to their schools to avoid being reported to ICE.
Board member Lucino Sotelo says he's open to the motion itself, but the issue he has is "unintended consequences" of pulling all SROs right now.
Now speaking is Miguel del Valle, who already told students this morning he would be voting against this motion.
He's recounting his own experience being beaten up at school in the 8th grade with no one to come to his assistance.
He's recounting his own experience being beaten up at school in the 8th grade with no one to come to his assistance.
Board vote on SRO motion coming now...
///BREAKING/// The Chicago Board of Education has rejected a motion that would’ve terminated Chicago Public School’s $33M contract with the police department to provide resource officers in schools.
3 ayes, 4 nays
VOTES
Miguel del Valle: NO
Sendhil Revuluri: NO
Luisiana Melendez: YES
Amy Rome: YES
Lucino Sotelo: NO
Elizabeth Todd-Breland: YES
Dwayne Truss: NO
VOTES
Miguel del Valle: NO
Sendhil Revuluri: NO
Luisiana Melendez: YES
Amy Rome: YES
Lucino Sotelo: NO
Elizabeth Todd-Breland: YES
Dwayne Truss: NO
That's all from the board today. Meeting adjourned after about 6 hours.
