In December 2022, a seven-year-old second-grade student was arrested in his classroom by a School Resource Officer (SRO) for allegedly spitting towards a teacher. The student, who had autism, was pinned down on the floor for 38 minutes as the officer struggled to fit handcuffs onto the wrists of such a small child. Stories like this are not unique. Across the country SROs act as disciplinarians and enforcers in U.S. public schools, involving themselves in matters such as mental health crises and arresting students for school misbehaviors. Earlier in 2024, an SRO violently pinned down another second-grader in Wyoming. As the young boy pleaded to be let go, the officer can be heard saying “You don’t get to win this one, it’s all me. I should be taking you to jail.”
Stories like these call into question the validity of having armed officers in classrooms, especially for young children, and whether these officers actually cause more harm than good.
The idea of putting armed law enforcement officers in the classrooms originated in the 1950s and gained popularity in the 1990s, partly due to federal incentives. At its outset, SRO programs were predominantly implemented in schools located in Black and Latino communities with the goal of controlling, rather than helping students. Another commonality among SROs is the training that they receive. SROs are not social workers or counselors and 99.9% of them are armed, just as any other police officer would be.
Alongside the conversation of SROs, it is crucial to address school to prison pipeline. This term refers to the systematic funneling of children from the school disciplinary system into the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. This pipeline disproportionately impacts students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, racial minorities, and students with disabilities. Specifically, students of color are 3.5 times more likely to be suspended or expelled than white students and those with disabilities constitute 32% of students in juvenile detention centers although they only make up less than 9% of the population. These disadvantages are compounded for black students with disabilities, of which 1 in every 4 is suspended compared to only 1 in every 11 of white students with disabilities according to a study run through the Civil Rights Project at UCLA.
This pipeline originates as early as elementary school; where students with intellectual disabilities or struggling with classroom behavior are punished with suspensions and expulsions, further isolating them from their peers while students academically ahead of the curve are pushed forward through gifted and talented programs. This grows the disparity amongst those who need the most support as they are taken out of the safety of a classroom and are forced to stay at home or sent to alternative learning centers. In many counties across the country, Alternative Learning Centers may have a waitlist, resulting in the students being out of school for an extended period.
SROs, who work for police departments rather than the schools themselves, facilitate this pipeline and the relationship between the school system and the legal system. Students with behavioral problems can quickly become perceived as criminals in schools with SROs, as illustrated by the arrest of the 2nd grade boy for spitting on his teacher. While spitting on a teacher shows immense disrespect and is likely against school rules, there may be many more effective methods of dealing with this disciplinary infraction than the force of handcuffs. Instead of utilizing behavioral plans and relying on the expertise of inschool mental health professionals, SROs often resort to suspensions and arrests to maintain order within schools.
One problem with SROs is that they have a loosely defined and broad purpose. Are they positioned in schools to protect students and teachers from outside threats? Do they exist to enforce the school rules and act as disciplinarians? Or are they supposed to provide counselors and teachers with extra support when dealing with complex student situations? According to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), it is all three as their mission statement reads that “The goals of well-founded SRO programs include providng safe learning environments in our nation’s schools, providing valuable resources to school staff members, fostering positive relationships with youth, developing strategies to resolve problems affecting youth and protecting all students, so that they can reach their fullest potentials.” NASRO specifies that SROs are sworn police officers whose training and responsibilities aligns with the principles of their employing office, such as police departments or sheriff’s office.
Do SROs effectively fulfill the goals of resolving problems in schools and providing a safe learning environment? The answer is not crystal clear. According to a Brookings Institute report, schools with SROs experience an increase in gun-related offenses and disciplinary punishments such as expulsions, in-school suspensions, and out-of-school suspensions. However, schools with SROs also report fewer incidents of physical assault and threats without a weapon. These statistics are especially interesting as SROs do not have the authority to issue suspensions or expulsions but their involvement in infractions often leads to drastic differences in the severity of punishments.
All of that is not to say there is no need for SROs. With the amount of violence amongst high schoolers and the terrifying possibility of school shootings, parents are rightfully concerned about the safety of their children. However, the mounting concerns with SROs signify that a conversation should be had about alternatives or reforms in school discipline.
By changing the narrative from punishment to support, schools can start helping their students rather than masking underlying problems with disciplinary actions and ushering those who need the most assistance into the criminal justice system.
Reforms to the current SRO system could include mandating specialized training for police officer who will be working in schools, removing guns from their jobs, and more clearly delineating their roles in discipline. Training on de-escalation tactics, identifying and combatting racial biases, and strategies for dealing with mental health crises can make SROs better at their jobs and protect students from unnecessary arrests and use of force. The job of a teacher and those that work in schools is inherently different than that of law enforcement and training should reflect those distinctions.
SROs are not designated as security guards who protect the school, thus reducing the need for guns. By carrying guns, SROs separate themselves from the student body and create a power dynamic which isn’t conducive to developing relationships with students and teachers. Moreover, the high rate of expulsions and suspensions in schools with SROs raises concerns about the effectiveness of the disciplinary role of SROs. To reduce the amount of severe disciplinary infractions handed out, SROs should have stricter guidelines in what constitutes a situation necessary for their involvement.
While these reforms may improve the institution of SROs, there exist alternatives to having police officers in school at all which may be worth considering. Vera Institute of Justice researched the efficacy of SROs and found that “restorative justice programs, mental health and counseling services, and youth development are more effective strategies to help students and save communities money.” Specifically, implementing more mental health support systems, such as counselors, specialists, and screening programs can help connect students to services and prevent future problems. By identifying struggling students prior to any disciplinary issues, schools and SROs can avoid disciplinary infraction.
Additionally, funding after school programs has been found to reduce crime and improve outcomes for students participating in them. Finally, designing restorative justice practices as an alternative to suspensions and expulsions provides a method for discipline without disrupting the lives of students with the greatest need. Restorative justice practices also encourage students to hold one another accountable.
Overall, the question of keeping schools safe is nuanced and complicated. While SROs have been the solution for the past few decades, it’s necessary to take a serious look into how schools can structure themselves and their funding to effectively protect and support their students.