As our petition reached another threshold of support today, PPS and community leaders were holding a press conference with a lot of talking about "Initiatives underway and resources on the table." When will talk result in action? There was another graffiti threat of a school shooting at our PPS middle school this week. A 7th grader said, “at some point it’s not going to be a joke and there will be no security to stop it.” Imagine such heavy issues weighing on a child who’s in school to learn.
All week I have been in conversations with marginalized communities, PPS teachers and principals and students, and contrary to the ACLU's partisan message, they DO want School Resource Officers back in schools and see their positive potential. Through positive relationships with students and collaboration with educators, counselors/mental health professionals and Youth Violence Prevention & Response Managers, specially trained SROs can proactively address school safety issues, divert at-risk students from the juvenile justice system, and deter violence, while providing all students with the support they need to succeed in school and in life.
Please share this petition to demand PPS to actively work with law enforcement before another child is caught in the crossfire! Our students and teachers need our support and collectively we cannot be ignored. Thank you for signing and sharing the petition! #ReinstateSROs #PortlandPublicSchools #PPSSafety
Here's a link to that news conference: