100 signatures reached
To: Barbara M. Jenkins, Orange County Public Schools' Superintendent
#TreatKidsLikeKids: Tell OCPS to not arrest kids!
We are asking, Barbara M Jenkins to put in place a district-wide policy to limit the role of School Resource Officers in OCPS.
Why is this important?
On September 26th the police in Orlando put two children, a six-year-old and an eight-year-old, in handcuffs! Instead of treating our children as the kids they are Orange County Public Schools is making them out to be criminals for throwing "tantrums". Firing Dennis Turner isn't enough we need to make sure this never happens to our children again no matter what. We need Barbara Jenkins to act to protect our kids!
According to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, last school year Black children made up 51% of school-related arrests across the state, despite making up 21% of the student population. This is totally unacceptable! We are living in a society where kids are being arrested before they are eligible to graduate. The underlying theme here is the role that School Resource Officers have in the School to Prison pipeline is very large. We must limit their role in schools as we continue to combat the effect of over-discipline in our schools.
Sign now to demand Dr. Barbara Jenkins limit the role of School Resource officers in OCPS schools.