Dear Waterloo Region District School Board Trustees, 

Students across the Region do not feel safe with the presence of armed police officers in their schools. In the 20+ year history of the SRO program, students have NEVER been asked how they felt about the SRO program. Now, we are standing up for our rights and demanding our voices be heard. Here is what students have to say about the SRO program: 

• “Police officers in schools create fear and trauma.” Grade 9 student, Forest Heights Collegiate Institute 
  “When the police come to my school I feel fear, not safety.” Grade 11 student, Eastwood Collegiate Institute 
  “Every time I see the cop in my school, I’m reminded of the school-to-prison pipeline. It’s scary that my teachers don't think about this.” Grade 11 student, Forest Heights Collegiate Institute 
  “Students of color have a very different experience with disciplinary measures during their time in school. I personally have experienced times where I was singled out and treated as a suspect in something I had no knowledge of. They claim to treat all students “equal” however students of color are disproportionately represented in any disciplinary encounter whether that be with teachers, principals and hall monitors.” Alumni, Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute 
  “At the end of the day, we’re kids and we shouldn’t be policed.” Grade 9 student, Kitchener Collegiate Institute
  “Walking through the halls and getting stares from the SRO’s makes me feel uncomfortable and targeted. Being a Black male seeing police presence within the school is extremely intimidating due to the fact that police brutality is a very real threat and concern for Black people. Having them within our schools diverts our attention away from school and towards ensuring our own safety and security.” Grade 11 student, Waterloo Collegiate Institute  

Building on the motion to review the SRO program, we insist that the ad hoc committee: 

1. Conduct the review with an equity lens and ensure that student voice is the predominant element informing the recommendations of the report, and that the review captures and centres the voices of students, families and communities, particularly those students who are at-risk, and Black/African diasporic students;
2. Call for data collected by the Waterloo Regional Police Services for the SRO program be granted immediately and without reservation for this review;
3. Mandate anti-racism and anti-oppression training for all administrators, teachers, support staff, and counsellors in WRDSB schools; 
4. Implement a community-led alternative to disciplinary action based in restorative and social justice, depending instead on culturally-responsive support workers, crisis counsellors, mental health workers, and community-led de-escalation response teams. 

We want the voices of those disproportionately impacted by the SRO program to be properly captured. We know, based on research and from our experiences as students in this Region, that this program impacts marginalized students the most. Thus, we call for this upcoming review process to engage and consult with the ACB Network and the Black Brilliance Advisory Committee to ensure that our wider communities are properly informed and represented about this issue. 

In the WRDSB strategic plan, you assert that “our students come first – each and every one”. If the WRDSB is truly committed to this, then we ask that you listen to us now and take action. Every student deserves to reach their full potential, and this cannot happen until our most vulnerable students feel safe and supported in schools. We need you to listen, reflect, and act in support of marginalized students and communities who have been ignored far too long.  

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter. 

Sincerely, 

Students 4 Inclusive Schools