Reply to Petition to bring back SROs

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Reply to "Petition to bring back SROs"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Can we maybe agree that the studies on whether or not SROs are effective at reducing violence and crime in schools are inconclusive?  There are studies that conclude either way.

What is conclusive is that SROs are not effective at reducing gun violence.

So that leaves us on an even playing field of discussing whether or not the potential benefits are worth the potential harms.  We can have an honest and good faith debate about that.[/quote]

So, what do you recommend at the alternative?  The do nothing approach clearly isn't working.[/quote]

Great question.  I think a multi-faceted approach is required, and it really depends on the problem we are trying to solve.  I definitely agree that "restorative justice" approach needs to be drastically overhauled or scrapped.  We need more teachers, administrators, and most of counselors across the board.  We need a broader societal change to solve the underlying problems that contribute to kids behaving in these ways.  I think the approach some schools have taken to require students to wear their IDs around their necks is not a bad idea...[/quote]
All of those are great, but it's not easy or quick.  We have to do something, and right now, SROs are a good alternative. It's not perfect, certainly, but I think SROs can be part of the solution.  Everyone agrees that SROs need more training and vetting.  They can do some good.[/quote]

I would start with wearing IDs and increasing counselors.  Both are as easy to quickly implement, or easier, than getting fulltime well-trained police officers in each school fulltime.[/quote]

Should add, that as far as I know neither the IDs or the counselors are something that any research shows could have negative unintended consequences. [/quote]
It also takes time to hire counselors. MCPS is already short staffed everywhere.  When Elrich got rid of SROs, he put the budget towards hiring more counselors.  They couldn't even fill half of the required counselors.

I like the ID card idea, but that's not foolproof either. I can forsee a lot of kids saying, "oh, I forgot it", and because there would be so many of these "I forgots", the admin/security will just let them go. Also, the IDs are tiny, and kids who used to attend but no longer do can easily try to fool the admin/security guard by using their old RMID cards.  It's hard to see the year from several feet away.

But, if you are talking ID cards like you get at work, that would work better, but the background color would have to change every year.   Added expense.

None of this faster than getting SROs back in the schools since we already have CEOs and previous SROs.  [/quote]

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