Police Chief Shields has recently called for police in every JCPS school in response to this week's tragic drive-by shooting at a bus stop that killed Tyree Smith and injured two other JCPS students. She cited a need to have sworn officers in the school buildings with experience in identifying gang members so that LMPD can gain the intelligence needed to prevent any future events of this nature.

However, this call is short-sighted and misinformed.Police in our schools creates a collective us versus them mentality that is a major driver of the school to prison pipeline targeting students of color in particular, as well as students who are disabled, poor, LGBTQ and/or immigrant. This does not move us any closer to our children actually being safe. Nor does it respect the many voices in our community that are saying the presence of police makes them uncomfortable. Too many of our youth have been traumatized by the police and putting armed uniformed guards will be a daily trigger and source of anxiety for too many of our students.

Counselors to address the trauma that walking through our doors is what our JCPS students need more of, not police!