Chalkbeat

Philadelphia to make digital hall pass and student tracking system available at all schools

2026-08-20T22:20:02+00:00

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The Philadelphia school district is making a digital hall pass available at all schools for the upcoming year that allows administrators to closely track students’ whereabouts.

Under the Infinite Campus system, which schools already use for course materials, students ask to leave the classroom through their Chromebooks. Once a teacher approves the request, the student’s journey will be logged on a “hall monitor grid” accessible to the school’s administrators and climate staff.

The system allows school staff to digitally deny students access to areas of campus where there may be a safety risk or staffing issue. Administrators can also automate the system to ensure certain students are not simultaneously approved for hallway access.

The system, which the district isn’t requiring schools to use, is designed to help prevent physical violence between students. Fights are a major concern in the district: Between 2021 and 2025 there was an average of about 550 incidents each year where police responded to an assault on a public school campus, according to data provided by the city police department. But in New York City, students and others have criticized a similar digital hall pass concept due to concerns about over-surveillance. And some worry the new technology will be more distracting than helpful.

Jade McCray, an assistant principal at Abraham Lincoln High School who recently got trained on the new software, said the system will track which students are out of the classroom, where they should be, and what time they left and returned. She said it could also help keep apart students who are in conflict.

“If we know a situation is brewing … it’s probably not the best idea for them to be in the halls to possibly run into each other at the same time,” she said.

But the system could hinder the staff who focus on student safety, said Nicole Hunt, the president of Local 634, the union representing Philadelphia school climate staff.

“It takes a second to start a fight,” Hunt said. “How do we watch out for when a fight’s about to happen when we’re watching the tablet?”

Some individual Philadelphia-area campuses have tried similar technology before, but the 2026-27 school year will be the first that such a system will be available for all schools.

District officials said it will take some time to get teachers and students trained on the new tool.

In other school safety news, the district’s Youth Violence Reduction Initiative will expand to William L. Sayre High School this year.

The program provides a calm space and consistent mentorship to students at highest risk of engaging in violence. At John Bartram High School, which piloted the Youth Violence Reduction Initiative, student-on-student assaults are down 31% since the program launched in 2023.

The initiative will now be in place at three high schools; it launched at Olney High School last year.

The Handle With Care program, in which police officers alert school staff when a child has witnessed trauma in their neighborhood, is expanding districtwide after a pilot run in the 22nd Police District.

The Safe Path program, which places trained adults on school perimeters to deescalate fights, will return to 25 campuses.

In addition, this will mark the first school year that all school safety officers will wear ballistic vests.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

Chicago to cut funding earmarked for schools that replaced police with restorative justice policies

2026-07-30T22:15:11+00:00

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Chicago Public Schools is poised to cut in half the money and staff the district provided to some high schools after they removed police officers stationed at their campuses.

High schools were given money roughly equivalent to a school resource officer’s annual salary in order to implement alternative approaches to safety, known as Whole School Safety Plans.

A Chalkbeat analysis of the proposed 2026-27 budget found that funding for Whole School Safety Plans at 54 high schools would go from $8.7 million to $4 million and the number of positions would go from 80 to 42. Most schools would see a reduction from $160,000 or more to around $80,000 and the loss of roughly one position, under the proposed budget.

At the same time, CPS plans to roll out a new framework, designed to help all schools implement a wide-ranging policy related to safety and student well-being passed in 2024. That policy requires teaching social-emotional learning, having restorative practices, staffing a behavioral health team, maintaining at least one security guard, and annually updating an emergency management plan, among other things.

District officials and advocates who long fought to remove police and end harsh discipline practices said the framework is meant to expand those approaches beyond a subset of high schools.

In a statement, CPS officials characterized the money schools received after removing police as “temporary supplemental funding” and that it is now being “phased-out.”

“This is a planned adjustment to temporary transition funding, not a reduction in the District’s commitment to Whole School Safety,” the statement said. CPS also said they added 10 new climate team security officer positions and reclassified 28 other school climate positions.

Calls to remove police from Chicago high schools started years before 2020, when Local School Councils began voting on their removal. That year, 17 campuses cut school-based cops. In the years that followed, more schools voted to remove police, and in exchange, the district provided those campuses “trade-in” funding to support climate and culture coordinators, restorative justice coordinators, social workers, and security guards.

Researchers at the University of Chicago studied the impact of removing police and shifting to restorative practices at CPS high schools and found declines in school-based arrests and high-level discipline violations. Students said they felt a stronger sense of safety and belonging.

In 2024, the Chicago Board of Education, then made up of seven members appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, voted to cut the district’s contract with the Chicago Police Department and remove all school resource officers ahead of the 2024-25 school year.

Before that, CPS had a contract with the police department to station officers at schools. The cost was $33 million dollars in 2020, but fell to $11 million in 2022 before the board’s 2024 vote. CPS staffs security guards at all schools and budget documents show their ranks remain stable at more than 1800 in the proposed budget.

Jitu Brown, an elected school board member and longtime advocate for restorative justice practices, said the district needs to continue the work of undoing “decades of zero-tolerance policies that targeted Black and Brown youth and looked at our young people through a lens of hate.”

“I will personally check in to make sure that the resources you need will be provided, that you’re getting the support that you need from the district level to make sure that we can implement this plan,” Brown said at a news conference Thursday morning.

Maria Degillo, Youth Director of Communities United and a longtime activist on the issue, downplayed the cuts, noting these funds have only been available to about two dozen high schools that had voted to remove police. She said it’s more important to train staff inside all schools to be part of building safe school environments.

“We can’t think about it as just one position,” Degillo said. “Rather, how are you actually creating again a space where everybody feels like this is a part of what they do and this is how they move in their school?”

Ronan Shableski, the chief of safety and security for Chicago Public Schools, said his office is focused on making sure the Whole School Safety framework is implemented citywide.

“The safest schools aren’t just the ones that respond well to emergencies; they’re the ones that help prevent them,” Shableski said.

Shableski and Degillo said the district and community organizations plan to start training principals and assistant principals on the new framework starting in August.

This story has been updated to include a statement from Chicago Public Schools.

Becky Vevea is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Chicago. Contact Becky at bvevea@chalkbeat.org.

Trump administration: Long-delayed data crucial to understanding America’s schools is coming soon

2026-07-10T18:58:56+00:00

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Did student behavioral issues worsen after the pandemic? How many students have been suspended or expelled in recent years, and what proportion of those students have disabilities? How many enroll in Advanced Placement courses — and where?

The federal data that could help answer these questions is now six months late. It’s not entirely clear what the hold up is, but it’s one of many data sets that the federal government hasn’t updated amid widespread layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education.

Researchers, advocates, and civil rights attorneys say the Office for Civil Rights data for the 2023-24 school year is critical, not only because it provides a national picture around pressing education issues such as discipline, but because it also digs into district by district data in a consistent way.

The Education Department estimated it would be available to the public by December 2025. In an interview with Chalkbeat reporters in late June, Assistant Secretary Kimberly Richey, said the release of the national civil rights data will come “later this summer.”

And the department appears to have already reviewed the data. A press release Friday cited the unreleased 2023-24 numbers as reason to open more than a dozen investigations into school districts, because their submissions to the data collection “contained responses that suggest that districts might not be addressing staff on student sexual misconduct appropriately.”

That’s just one possible use for the Civil Rights Data Collection, or CRDC, which the department typically conducts every two school years.

The information represents a wellspring of statistics about a variety of important topics. The CRDC has long been a tool for proponents of school equity to understand how well students of color, students with disabilities and other historically disadvantaged groups are faring in schools across the country, particularly when it comes to expulsions, suspensions and arrests.

While some states collect some of this data, it’s not always consistent or readily accessible to the public. Jennifer Rainville, an education attorney with the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, said in her state, disciplinary data isn’t publicly broken down by disability status. Parents can make a public records request, but few might take that extra step.

Rainville often cites statistics from the last batch of data, including that South Carolina suspends more preschool students than any other state, based on the most recent CRDC. Seeing disciplinary actions broken down by race and disability status helps inform broader policy and bolster arguments for reform, she said.

The last time the data was released was by the Biden administration in 2023, with numbers from the 2020-21 school year.

“We are disciplining kids at a high rate, and so it’s important to know what those kids look like,” she said. “Having the breakdown of that is important to know exactly where we’re falling short, right, because we are falling short.”

Academics also rely on the data due to its consistency. It is “the only source of information” covering every school and district in the nation using the same definitions, said Daniel Losen, senior director for education at the National Center for Youth Law.

“It’s vitally important,” he said. “It really gives you a good sense of what’s going on.”

A lot has changed in education since the last data collection, including the aftermath of the pandemic, a rise in school cell phone bans, and a continued plunge in academic achievement. Researchers are particularly interested in disciplinary data from the years immediately after students returned in-person, in which teachers reported a surge in disruptive behavior.

While the 2020-21 data showed suspensions and bullying had plunged, it reflected a time when about 88% of schools were providing a combination of in-person and remote instruction due to the pandemic. In 2020, the Education Department delayed the CRDC scheduled for the 2019-20 and moved it to 2020-21.

“There are lots of really basic questions that we have limited insight into, because we haven’t gotten any data since really the times that schools were, you know, deep in the weeds of the pandemic,” said Erica Frankenberg, an education professor at Penn State.

Advocates are watching not only for the data’s release but for how the administration might interpret the numbers. In an executive order last year, President Donald Trump discouraged schools from considering whether students of color are subjected to disproportionate levels of discipline.

The Office for Civil Rights, which administers the data, has been at the center of a flurry of action. The department announced in June that some of the work in that office would be shifted to the Department of Justice, as part of an interagency agreement. The agency has been slowly shifting more and more work out of the department.

However, in announcing the agreement, a senior department official said civil rights data collection would continue under the Education Department.

Erica Meltzer and Matt Barnum contributed reporting.

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org.

Detroit district’s safety funding more than doubles after other Michigan schools reject it

2026-04-17T18:06:22+00:00

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The Detroit district’s state mental health and school safety grant funding has more than doubled after hundreds of other school systems rejected the money, Michigan Department of Education records show.

The district will receive an additional $10.3 million for the two-year grant period, on top of the $8 million the state originally allocated for Detroit schools.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is one of 512 districts to share in $321 million for mental health and safety after agreeing to new controversial conditions for the money by the end of last year. In order to get the grant funding, district and school leaders had to consent to disclosing information that would otherwise be legally protected if a school shooting or other mass casualty event occurs. They also had to agree to allow a comprehensive state investigation of such incidents.

DPSCD’s board voted to agree to the waiver in November in order to get its original $8 million allocation for 2025-26. At the time, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said the district “could not afford to walk away” from the funding, which it uses to contract mental health services at all schools and cover some security guard and officer salaries.

Some of the $10.3 million in additional funding Detroit received in February can cover expenses next school year, district administrators said.

The district did not respond to questions about how it will recommend spending the extra dollars. The board will vote to make the final decision on where the funding will be allocated. The board must approve a budget for next school year by June 30.

The state funding can be used by the district on mental health screening tools, firearm detection software, cameras, and mental health training for staff, among other purposes.

The state funding allocated by districts to pay the salaries of school resource officers and mental health support staff may carry over into 2026-27, according to state law.

School security has been top of mind for many Detroit parents this school year, following two incidents in which students brought weapons into classrooms.

After the incidents, DPSCD approved spending $1.7 million to hire 38 additional security guards. Another $490,000 was approved by the board to pay for a pilot of new metal detectors at seven schools.

The push to require school districts to sign waivers in exchange for the funding came after the 2021 Oxford High School shooting. Several districts’ challenge to the requirement is making its way through the courts.

Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Amid ‘massive shortfall’ of school safety officers, NYPD deploys assistant agents as young as 18

2026-03-26T18:53:41+00:00

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Walk into a New York City public school, and you may be greeted by a police official who is not old enough to buy cigarettes or order a drink.

The Police Department has deployed 114 assistant school safety agents as young as 18 and fresh out of high school to patrol the city’s elementary schools, city officials confirmed this week.

The assistant agents are responsible for answering phones, operating recently installed video intercoms, greeting visitors, and helping identify people “violating New York City Public Schools rules and regulations,” according to the job description. The position pays $37,339 a year, about $2,000 more than minimum wage.

First announced in 2023, the program was slow to get off the ground. It has also faced sharp criticism from dozens of education advocates who oppose police presence in schools who tried to convince former Mayor Eric Adams to drop the program.

City officials hope the assistant agents will help replenish the ranks of school safety officers, who wear police uniforms but are unarmed. Including the new crop of assistant school safety agents, there are nearly 3,600 police officials stationed in the city’s schools, down about 28% over the last six years from 5,000. The decline has been fueled by attrition during the pandemic connected to the COVID vaccine mandate, low wages, and moves by Adams not to restaff the division.

School leaders have raised alarms that the drop in school safety agents has compromised safety. It’s also caused delays getting to class since the agents are responsible for operating metal detectors on campuses that require students to be screened before entering the building.

“We are experiencing a massive shortfall,” Mark Rampersant, the education department’s safety chief, said at a City Council hearing this week.

Kevyn Bowles, the principal of New Bridges Elementary School in Brooklyn, initially feared that an assistant safety agent might not have the emotional maturity to respond to conflict or high-stress situations. But after his school was assigned one, he changed his mind.

“Schools are stretched, so any extra help is beneficial and appreciated,” Bowles said.

The assistant agent largely supervises the front desk and buzzes people in, freeing up the other agent to respond to behavioral crises or safety issues. In the past, a school staff member would have to cover the front desk if the school’s sole safety agent was responding to an incident or on a lunch break.

“She’s very calm, professional, respectful — maybe I shouldn’t have doubted the 19-year-olds of the world,” Bowles added.

Still, a range of education advocates and civil rights groups have raised concerns about the new role and argue the city should focus more on staffing up mental health support and using alternative approaches to conflict resolution.

Johanna Miller, director of the education policy center at the New York Civil Liberties Union, emphasized that the assistant agents receive about eight weeks of training, which is less than half of what regular agents receive.

“We’re concerned about poorly trained NYPD officers in elementary schools,” Miller said. “There are a lot of people who could be qualified to watch a door without having a direct line to the NYPD and the potential for children to be arrested.”

A police department spokesperson did not respond to questions about the assistant agents’ training.

Officials noted major crimes in schools have fallen 9% so far this school year compared with last year, and school arrests are down about 10%. As part of a reorganization of the school safety division, staff who previously held administrative positions were deployed to schools.

It remains to be seen whether the assistant agents will make a dent in the city’s efforts to restaff the school safety division. The 114 assistant agents assigned to schools are far below the 400 agents the Police Department was originally approved to hire. (Officials did not respond to a question about what the current target is.)

Rampersant, the Education Department’s safety chief, said officials are visiting high schools and parent association meetings to advertise the program to get more recruits. But he said low wages remain a sticking point for all school safety agent roles and starting salaries for other law enforcement agencies are significantly higher.

“When you are a school safety agent — you rather work in a correctional facility than a school, right? — that’s really telling,” Rampersant said.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Fewer Philly children are being shot. Here’s how the city’s top cop wants to keep that trend going.

2026-03-24T17:51:16+00:00

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Kevin Bethel was in charge of Philadelphia school safety during what he called “a very difficult, dark time” for the city.

While serving as the School District of Philadelphia’s school safety chief from 2019 to 2023, Bethel watched the city’s fatal and nonfatal shooting tallies climb. About 200 children per year were injured or killed by firearms during that period, according to city data.

“I would see young people getting shot outside the schools — Roxborough, Lincoln, Bartram, just killed,” he said. “It was something I’d never seen in my lifetime.”

But now, the city is in “a far, far better place,” said Bethel, who became the city’s police commissioner in 2024. The number of shootings in the city has fallen dramatically: There were half as many fatal shootings last year as there were in 2022. The number of children who’ve been shot has also been steadily declining.

Bethel attributes the change to multiple collaborations between the police department and the city, including a violence reduction initiative at Bartram High School that he helped design and a Safe Path program that places trained adults on school perimeters.

Bethel continues to pitch in on school safety, alongside the Philadelphia Police Department’s Director of Gang Reduction and Youth Development David Irizarry. The two tout the success of in-school restorative justice programs and a trauma-focused initiative called Handle With Care.

But Bethel said he is especially proud of the school diversion program, which connects students who would otherwise be arrested for certain offenses to preventative programs instead. He also highlighted the city’s Town Watch Integrated Services team, which trains neighborhood groups on how to protect children walking to and from school.

However, there were multiple large-scale fights in the fall that worried neighbors and garnered social media attention.

Many community members fear even more conflicts will arise if the school district moves forward with its plan to close 18 facilities and merge or co-locate certain schools.

Chalkbeat asked Bethel to lay out some of what he feels is improving school safety, and what’s needed for the future.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What are some of the ways that the school district and police department work together?

Our school diversion program, that is one of our marquee programs. We started in 2014 when the [police were] locking up 1,600 children a year [in schools] … kids as young as 10 years of age, for a whole series of things. I was here as a deputy commissioner running operations at that point. I was very frustrated with the number of young people being arrested.

I had been part of a national program asking law enforcement leaders across America, “how are you going to address the disparities?” Because many of the kids being locked up were African American or Latino. That would also open the doors to understanding trauma, adolescent development, brain science, all of that. And so we started that program in 2014 and today we’re at over a 90% reduction. Last year we had 72 kids arrested for a system that used to lock up 1,600.

We continue to support the school district as it relates to dismissal times, and we have around 60 officers assigned to the schools across the city to support the dismissals. Most of the high schools have specific coverage, and then we have rolling patrols for our lower grade schools to support that.

And then there’s certain corridors that we try to increase our activity. After the unfortunate homicide of the student at Imhotep Institute Charter High School, where he got killed on Ogontz Avenue, we started to increase some of our activity around our main corridors as well.

Just since this fall, there have been some pretty large-scale fights on high school campuses. What have you found to be effective for handling those?

There’s so much that can ignite young people to engage in that activity. If there’s intelligence or information [that police or a school] received prior that there’s going to be something, then the expectation is that folks are going to get into that and intercept that.

It’s very rare with our young people that we have to use high levels of force. Most times they’re not really trying to attack the police officers, they’re just fighting each other.

But our expectation is this is not just a policing issue. And in particular in our larger schools, we’re expecting the safety team at the school district, which is not just the school safety office, but everyone in that school, to bring it under control, and then we’re here. Our goal is coming to support that. Especially when it’s occurring inside the school, they know the students, they know the players, they know what the discipline should be like.

With school closures on the horizon, how will PPD be involved with children potentially having new walking routes to school?

These are not immediate changes. There’s going to be this transition that will happen as more things start to unfold. It’s not just me. It’s obviously the Safe Corridors program working out of Town Watch Integrated Services. It may require some of that activity to come into play.

But what we clearly should know, that we should understand, is what the pathway is. In the earlier closings, there were some adjustments of the school crossing guards. So that expectation will be something that will be a part of those plans, to make sure that those intersections that a child may have to walk are properly covered.

This story is part of a collaboration between Chalkbeat Philadelphia and The New York Times’s Headway Initiative, supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) via the Local Media Foundation.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

Here’s what DPSCD parents need to know about the new visitor check-in policy in district schools

2026-03-17T10:00:00+00:00

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Visitors to Detroit Public Schools Community District buildings are being met with a new check-in policy as the district builds upon efforts to prioritize the safety of its students and staff.

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti alerted families of the change with robocalls and emails and posted a message on the district website and social media channels stressing that keeping students, staff, and school communities safe remains DPSCD’s highest priority. Schools also have worked to inform families through local communications and signage.

“We realize this is a new process and may be frustrating for some visitors,” Vitti noted in the announcement, “but please keep in mind that this is another safety strategy we are implementing to keep everyone safe and accountable.”

Under the process, visitors including parents and legal guardians must present a photo ID and have their picture taken via the new digital platform, called Visitor Aware.

The system, up and working in all schools, has facial recognition capabilities to verify that the person presenting the ID is the person pictured. But Vitti told BridgeDetroit “we are not using this feature.” The district is also not running visitors’ information against government and sex offender lists — another capability of Visitor Aware that the district will not be using — said DPSCD spokesperson Chrystal Wilson.

Vitti said in an email that the program will act as a replacement for paper sign-in sheets and be used to cross reference with a list from principals of individuals who should not be in the school building.

DPSCD’s security ramp-up follows two classroom incidents involving students with weapons. The district in October promised to make changes to its security protocols after an eighth grader stabbed another girl in class at Gompers Elementary-Middle School with a knife her mother allegedly brought into the school past a metal detector. Months later, a student reportedly chased another with a boxcutter around a Denby High School classroom. Vitti told BridgeDetroit that the changes to visitor check-ins were being developed prior to those incidents.

Beyond the check-in measures, the district is spending $4.3 million to hire 38 additional security guards for the rest of the school year and recently began a security screening pilot at 10 schools. Vitti has said that the pilot will last for the remainder of the school year. If the process is faster and more efficient at detecting weapons, the district will consider adding it to more schools next school year.

Visitor Aware was piloted last spring in Detroit schools, according to a FAQ on the DPSCD website that was later taken down. When the pilot was complete, the district installed the equipment needed for the digital platform, trained staff over the summer and at the beginning of the school year, and integrated the system with existing safety protocols.

The program is overseen by the district’s Technology Division, Public Safety and Office of Schools departments.

How does the check-in platform work?

All visitors need to bring a photo ID or some form of identification, like a state ID or an utility bill, Vitti said in an email to BridgeDetroit. Once a visitor checks in, the front desk will take their photo and provide them with a visitor badge. If a visitor forgets their ID or a form of identification, a photo will still be taken for their temporary visitor badge, and additional paperwork is required.

“We use the program to know who is in the building (a replacement of paper sign-in sheets) and to flag who should not be in the building based on a list provided by the principal,” Vitti said in an email. “Names are used to cross reference this list.”

Visitor Aware is among the notification software platforms used in colleges and universities, government and healthcare settings, manufacturing sectors, as well as for businesses. The software was developed by Madison, Wisconsin-based Singlewire.

Visitor Aware is used in 300 schools and districts nationwide, Singlewire Communications Director Chris Swietlik said in an email. Some of those places include the Madison Metropolitan School District, Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District and Wausau School District in Wisconsin; Maricopa Unified School District in Arizona; and the Sioux Falls School District in South Dakota. Locally, Bloomfield Hills Schools began using the app on March 3.

Vitti said that the changes are the result of concerns raised by principals and staff regarding negative experiences with school visitors and parents, as well as the need to ensure the safety of students and staff.

“Many institutions, especially government-run buildings, require a check-in and ID process to ensure safety,” he said.

Keeping the school community safe

Erica Thompson, a parent to two daughters who attend Marcus Garvey Academy on Detroit’s East Side, said she hadn’t been inside the building since the new rule went into effect but doesn’t have a problem with it.

“Anything to keep the kids safe because you never know what could happen out here. I commend it,” she said.

Fellow Marcus Garvey parent Ashley Jones said that she recently encountered the new process and was a little surprised.

“It’s a little invasion of my privacy, but it’s a necessary protocol,” Jones said.

Special education advocate Sharon Kelso has raised concerns over the optics of the policy and has questions about how personal information is being protected.

Kelso, who visits DPSCD schools to assist families who want her guidance for talking to teachers and administrators, said she experienced the new check-in process during a visit to Renaissance High School on Feb. 2, a week before Vitti’s announcement went out to parents.

Kelso explained that she and a parent went to the school to meet with a building administrator to discuss a child’s Individualized Education Program. When Kelso and the parent were walking to the building, she noticed that the parent took out her driver’s license.

“I’m looking at her, and I said, ‘We have to have our driver’s license now?’” Kelso said. “She said, ‘Yeah, they do this for us to come into the building.’”

A security guard put Kelso’s ID through a scanner and instructed her to step back so he could take a photo, she said.

“I said, ‘Now, what do you need a picture of me for when you just scanned my license?’” Kelso said.

Kelso said she believes that the policy is “too much” and worries that it “will have parents and visitors feeling like criminals.”

“Who wants to be subjected to that? We want our schools to be safe, but I think we can be proactive and have people monitor our halls more, rather than doing all those restrictive things,” she said.

Kelso also wants to know how security measures are being implemented for teachers and staff members and whether the personal information and photos of visitors are being retained, and how, after they leave a school building.

“Where’s the data going? People need to know that if you’re going to take their information, then you have to be open with what you’re doing with it,” she said. “It’s like an invasion of privacy to a certain extent.”

Vitti said that the visitor badges are returned or discarded when a person leaves, and people’s photos remain at the school buildings and in an encrypted file by Visitor Aware. DPSCD has set a three-year retention period from a person’s most recent visit. If the visitor does not return within three years, their profile, including photo and visit history, is deleted.

Like Kelso, DPSCD board member Ida Short is concerned about the storage of people’s personal information. But said that she supports the policy overall, with issues like human trafficking targeting children, she said, school safety and security are tantamount.

“We have a lot of stuff that’s going on in this country, in this city, and so, to help our students, staff and parents be safe is important and we have to do all that we can,” Short said.

Micah Walker is a reporter for BridgeDetroit. You can reach her at mwalker@bridgedetroit.com.

Mamdani announces 15 mph ‘slow zones’ for more than 800 NYC schools

2026-03-16T15:06:23+00:00

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Hundreds of New York City schools will soon see reduced speed limits on their surrounding streets, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Monday.

The change marks an escalation in the city’s enforcement of Sammy’s Law, state legislation meant to curb dangerous driving.

The city will lower speeds to 15 mph outside more than 800 schools by the end of the year, with plans to expand the initiative to all eligible school locations citywide by the end of Mamdani’s first term, he said. Most of the schools in the initiative currently have speed limits of 20 mph. Another 500 campuses already have 15 mph limits, while many of the rest of the roughly 2,300 school locations across the city currently cap speeds at 25 mph.

Officials plan to bring the 15 mph limit to all eligible schools by the end of Mamdani’s first term, he said. A pedestrian struck by a car traveling 25 miles per hour is three times more likely to be seriously injured than if they’re hit by a car going 15, officials said.

A 2022 investigation by Streetsblog found that streets surrounding schools see a far higher rate of crashes and injuries than other city roadways during school dropoff and pickup times. The problem is especially pronounced outside schools with higher proportions of students of color, the analysis found.

The city is prioritizing schools for the slow zones based on traffic data and other street safety plans in the works, officials said.

Sammy’s Law — named for 12-year-old Sammy Cohen Eckstein, who died after being struck by a van when he chased a soccer ball into the street on Brooklyn’s Prospect Park West in 2013 — was signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2024. It gives the city Transportation Department authority to reduce speed limits on certain streets without the approval of the City Council, which controls the citywide default speed limit.

At each of the new school slow zones, officials will give local community boards 60 days to comment on the change before it takes effect.

Under former Mayor Eric Adams, the city moved to lower maximum speeds from 25 to 20 mph on 250 designated “neighborhood slow zones” across the city — generally smaller, residential streets.

The law also gives the city the authority to reduce speed limits around parks and senior centers. The reduced speed zones are expected to be marked with signs and can be fit with “traffic-calming” measures like speed bumps.

In neighborhoods where speeds were reduced to 20 miles per hour, vehicle crashes dropped by 14% and car-related injuries by 31%, according to the Transportation Department.

“Lower speeds save lives,” Mamdani said in a statement, “and we will use every tool at our disposal to protect our neighbors as they move about our city.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Students fear Philly school closures could spark bullying and violence. Here are possible solutions.

2026-03-13T16:15:00+00:00

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Philadelphia students and community members want to know how schools will prevent fights, bullying, and other conflicts that could stem from the district’s proposal to close 18 schools.

Experts say there are ways to prevent such violence — if planning begins now.

People have brought up safety at many of the roughly 40 community meetings the school district has hosted at schools that would close beginning in 2027. Usually it’s parents and students at smaller, specialized schools who would be moved into bigger neighborhood high schools with violent reputations.

April Anderson voiced concern at a February community meeting about plans to close Parkway Northwest High School, which her child attends, and move those students to Martin Luther King High School, which is about a half-mile away and happens to be Anderson’s own alma mater.

“There are fights at King,” she said. “If you put kids from Parkway in King you don’t think that’s going to start issues?”

Several Parkway Northwest students who attended the meeting echoed that sentiment, including freshman Dane McFarland, who runs on MLK’s track and said he gets bullied there.

Dane McFarland, holding up a megaphone, was among the students who walked out Parkway Northwest High School on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 to protest the Philadelphia school district's plan to close the school.

A rough reputation can stick with a school, even when data about student conflicts doesn’t tell a simple story. MLK High School does have a higher rate of group assaults than Parkway or Building 21, another school that would also merge into MLK under the district’s closure plan.

But Parkway has higher rates of fights between students, according to the district’s data on serious incidents from 2021 to 2025.

At a City Council hearing about the closures on Feb. 17, Council President Kenyatta Johnson asked district Superintendent Tony Watlington to ensure “that we have a game plan to make sure our young people are safe.”

Watlington answered by pointing to Safe Path, which stations trained adults around the perimeters of campuses to break up dismissal-time fighting and escort children home as needed. But that program was delayed at some schools this year, and moreover doesn’t directly address the climate inside buildings.

At a recent school board meeting, the president of the School Police Association of Philadelphia, Bernadette Ambrose-Smith, requested that the district do a safety analysis of the closure plan, due to concerns about students losing “safe havens.”

Officials said every school receiving new students would have a “transition team” but have not specified how those teams would help defuse tensions and prevent violence stemming from closures and displacement.

Asked about the issue, district spokesperson Monique Braxton contended that the district already has adequate resources in place, writing in an email: “We don’t anticipate violence between existing students and incoming students at receiving schools.”

But combining student groups and their social hierarchies means the first few months of mergers and co-locations would be an adjustment for kids, and that schools should “plan ahead for the social aspects of the transition,” said Tracy Waasdorp, director of research, school-based bullying, and social-emotional learning at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Violence Prevention.

Waasdorp said that before schools merge or co-locate, one initial step could include gathering school staff, parents, and community members to discuss existing dynamics and tensions.

She also recommends starting with adult-led and supervised summer activities that require kids from different schools to interact, a strategy that she calls a “no-brainer.”

And once the school year starts, administrations should point out to students which adults they can talk to if they are experiencing bullying, conflict, or other stressors, Waasdorp said.

“Some of these children already have been struggling, and they may continue to struggle once they get to this new setting,” she said. “Make sure that whoever that one person is is available and known to the kids, like, ‘I’m the social-emotional person. I’m here for you.’”

Prioritizing the role of trusted adults is also one of several strategies being used by Bartram High School, which until recently was a hot spot for violence, including an average of five students who were shot each school year from 2017 to 2022.

Since implementing a pilot of the Youth Violence Reduction Initiative about three years ago, shootings are down 80% and fights not involving guns are down 31%. It could serve as a strong model for schools confronting mergers under the closure plan to consider, in part because of its focus on gangs.

Students worry about crowded hallways making fights worse

The pilot at Bartram could have been seriously tested by the district’s initial school closure plan.

The district’s original plan, which it released in January, would have closed Motivation High School and relocated its students to Bartram. When he heard the news, Bartram ninth grader Hanaij Fulton was concerned that hallways would become hot spots. He doubted school safety officers would be able to control crowds if more students packed in.

“It’s like nothing they can really do when they fight, because the whole hallway is just full of people,” Fulton said. “They’d have to push past people. People wouldn’t be moving.”

After criticism about the plans for Motivation High, the district scrapped the proposal to merge students there into Bartram. It also nixed plans to close Paul Robeson High School and merge students there into William L. Sayre High School. But other schools will still have to deal with increased student traffic and related concerns if the Board of Education approves the closure plan.

Before the district backtracked, Tenneh Conteh had similar concerns about Sayre High School, where she is a senior.

She said school safety officers there already struggle to maintain order at the metal detectors, where kids try to sneak in vapes and sometimes guns.

“If they can barely handle the students who do come to school, they can’t handle new kids,” she said.

She feels funding related to the closures should be spent on extra security guards and additional training at the receiving schools.

But Waasdorp said neighborhood volunteers, not just extra security staff, can play a helpful role in and around buildings in such situations.

“It’ll be really important for schools to increase adult supervision in unstructured areas as the school year begins,” she said. “It’s showing all of your adults around you care about how you guys get along, and we intend to make sure everyone feels connected.”

How violence plummeted at a Philadelphia high school

The district believes the Youth Violence Reduction Initiative — or YVRI — contributed to an 80% decrease in firearm assaults by students at Bartram. In addition, there have been no shooting deaths and far fewer fights at the school since it began using the initiative in 2023. Shootings also went down citywide at that time.

“Most of the people that was really starting stuff with a lot of people, either they calmed down or they not here no more,” said Jamer Heard, a Bartram senior.

The initiative is designed for students who are part of, or are at risk of being part of, group-on-group violence. In addition to building relationships with trusted adults, it relies on a combination of conflict deescalation strategies and cross-agency collaboration.

Since the program started, there’s been a 67% drop in student-on-staff assaults, a 62% decrease in incidents involving police, and a 92% decrease in gang-involved group assaults at Bartram High.

A quote displayed in the office of Youth Violence Intervention Program Coordinator Kevin Rosa at Bartram High School on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Philadelphia.

Such declines were “much larger than we expected,” said Dr. Brandy Blasko, a senior research associate in the Office of School Safety. “We’re seeing that the model we chose is actually working.”

Caterina Roman, a criminologist at Temple University who helped design the initiative, said the program could “be perfect for” mitigating violence at high schools that are receiving new students after the closures.

“Because YVRI was designed on the principles of the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Model, prevention gets built right in,” she said in an e-mail.

The district recently expanded the program to Olney High School.

The Bartram program is currently funded by a $1 million grant from the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention that will expire this year. When that funding is up, administrators plan to ask Pennsylvania for additional support.

“I think given the success of the program, we’ll figure it out,” Blasko said.

Carly Sitrin and Rebecca Redelmeier contributed reporting.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

How often do kids bring guns to school? Here’s what we know.

2026-02-27T20:45:22+00:00

This story was originally published by The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America. Sign up for its newsletters here.

Earlier this month, a 7-year-old boy accidentally shot himself with a firearm he brought to his second grade classroom in Maryland.

During a single week last month, three separate K-12 students at different New York City schools were caught with a firearm on campus.

Over the past decade, fear of school shootings has grown among American teachers, parents, and students. Nearly 75% of U.S. teenagers worry about school gun violence, according to a national survey administered by public health researchers at Indiana University.

Despite mounting anxiety about school shootings, the task of tracking the number of guns in U.S. public schools is about to get even harder. Shortly after returning to office last year, President Donald Trump’s administration gutted the Department of Education office responsible for collecting and analyzing most school-related data. The National Center for Education Statistics was reduced to just five employees as of March 2025. Those cuts now jeopardize the future of already shaky statistics about the number of K-12 students caught with firearms on campus.

In lieu of accurate, timely federal data, The Trace used past NCES reports, Gun Violence Archive data, and public health research to try to understand how guns end up in American schools. We learned that students are more likely to bring guns to school when they are exposed to violence and have easy access to firearms. We also found fewer U.S. public schools had armed law enforcement officers during the 2021–22 school year compared to previous years, signaling a possible shift away from armed guards as a school safety measure. Mostly, we learned that public health researchers cannot effectively study school safety without robust federal data on guns in schools.

Fear often drives students to bring guns to school

Despite the lack of quality information, available data and research offer clues about why some students bring guns to school, and why school officials have struggled to respond.

For many students, carrying a gun is seen as a necessary form of self-defense in a violent world. A 2022 study of high schoolers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that youth who are exposed to violence are more likely to carry a gun.

“If kids are exposed to forms of violence in their neighborhoods or homes, they become more fearful,” said Joshua Rosenbaum, a criminal justice researcher at the University of Mississippi. “Fearful individuals, including kids, often feel like they need to protect themselves by keeping a firearm on them.”

The NCES data shows the nationwide rate of children bringing firearms to school spiked during the 2021-22 school year, the most recent year for which data is available. During that time, the U.S. gun violence epidemic hit a crescendo: Gun deaths reached near-record highs as communities across the country struggled to address gun homicides and suicides amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Trace analysis of Gun Violence Archive data found that the rate of kids caught with firearms in school returned to pre-pandemic levels as overall U.S. gun violence decreased in 2024 and 2025.

Rosenbaum also told The Trace that children who have easy access to a firearm at home are significantly more likely to carry “a gun to school compared to their classmates who did not have guns available to them.”

In 2019, the U.S. Secret Service published an analysis of 41 school violence incidents that took place between 2008 and 2017. The agency found that most of the young “attackers” used a gun that was accessible to “from the home of their parents or another close relative.”

NCES data suggests that school officials’ strategy for dealing with campus gun violence may have evolved in recent years. After the Columbine High School shooting in 1990, the Department of Justice established a grant program to expand the hiring and training of “school resource officers” — law enforcement officials stationed on public school campuses. For decades, the presence of these armed officers was viewed as a possible deterrent for school shooters.

But armed school security may not be as popular as it was in the past. During the 2021-22 school year, just one quarter of U.S. public schools were staffed with a law enforcement officer that routinely carried a firearm on school grounds, down 26% from the previous school year. This shift in school officials’ approach to gun safety coincided with a growing body of public health research finding limited evidence that armed guards can prevent school gun violence.

It’s important to remember the limitations of NCES reporting. The agency’s data on armed school personnel relies on the School Survey on Crime and Safety. Participation in the survey is voluntary, meaning the results likely depict an incomplete picture of public schools’ use of armed guards. And in more recent years, some school districts have brought back armed officers after violent incidents.

Researchers trying to patch a fragmented data landscape

Research on guns in schools relies heavily on the National Center for Education Statistics, the data wing of the Department of Education. Under the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994, schools must submit statistics about firearms on campus to their state education officials, who then share that information with the NCES.

The data collection system is deeply flawed. A 2018 Stateline investigation found that school and state officials routinely failed to track deadly school shootings in Arizona and Colorado. Journalists from Stateline, part of the national nonprofit news outlet States Newsroom, found that state education officials who collect firearm statistics from districts “don’t enforce the reporting requirements,” leading to undercounting.

NCES data also suffers from significant time lags, a common problem with federal datasets. The agency’s latest report was published in 2024, but even then the most recent school year included was 2021-22.

The data landscape worsened in 2025, when the Trump administration fired most of the NCES staff, part of a broader dismantling of the Department of Education.

Data from Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks gun violence incidents using open source research, offers a potential solution. The GVA tracker includes flags for incidents at schools, but unless the event is logged by local media or law enforcement — the organization’s primary sources — it likely won’t be included. Rural areas are especially susceptible to this undercounting.

Because of these limitations, researchers have turned elsewhere. Public health scholars like the University of Michigan’s Rebeccah Sokol have been forced to build their own data tools to track the incidence of guns in K-12 schools. In 2017, Sokol and her colleagues established the FACTS National Survey, a nationally representative study that asks teenagers directly about firearm access, carrying, and exposure to violence.

The approach has built-in drawbacks: It relies on teens’ self-reported behavior and is conducted in onetime survey waves, meaning it can miss rapid changes and cannot provide real-time, local detail. Still, tools like the FACTS survey offer a stopgap in a research landscape where the federal government has largely failed to systematically track how and why guns end up in the hands of children.

“If we received timely, accurate data on where and when students are bringing firearms to school,” Sokol told The Trace, “we could use that data to develop better strategies to prevent dangerous situations from happening.”

‘The hallways are quiet’: Trauma-informed school model uses calm to prevent conflict in Philly

2026-02-11T12:00:00+00:00

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On a regular day in the “reflection room” at North Philadelphia’s W.D. Kelley School, trauma specialist Meah Carruth might facilitate a mediation between students in conflict, a naptime for a group of tired teachers, or a lunch break round of musical chairs.

The dimly lit space contains sofas, interactive playmats, and other items intended to help calm students and staff. It’s part of the Philadelphia Healthy and Safe Schools program, a “trauma-informed schools” initiative facilitated and partially funded by Temple University on five School District of Philadelphia campuses.

The idea behind the program, known by the shorthand “PHASeS,” is to create places where all students and teachers can take a “brain break” when they feel overly stressed. Most classrooms in PHASeS schools have a “calming corner,” and each building has a PHASeS room where students can visit with an adult’s permission. Most of those rooms are staffed by a trauma specialist like Carruth, who is trained to help people understand and regulate their emotions.

“Maybe you need to pick up a beanbag and throw it at a target and let out some steam, maybe you do need to scream,” Carruth said, rolling a blue rubber fidget toy in one hand. “Let’s assess what you need, and if we can offer it and provide it, and you’re safe, let’s do it.”

The PHASeS team from Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine also provides regular staff training. It helps teachers better understand the chronic trauma students see at home and in the neighborhood, often related to housing insecurity, gun violence, and domestic abuse.

“When you think about some of the things that they have experienced, you kind of handle them better,” said Sherese Knights, an English language arts educator at W.D. Kelley who has received the training. “We are more inclined now to focus on their most basic needs before providing learning.”

A soon-to-be-released evaluation by Temple’s College of Education and Human Development surveyed educators in PHASeS schools. More than three-quarters said the program improved classroom learning, and 85% said the training improved their own well-being.

The data also showed that PHASeS has reduced fights, harassment, and disorderly conduct on two of the three campuses where it was studied.

Kelley Principal Crystal Edwards said teaching kids to take a breath makes it less likely that they’ll act out. She also credits the program with the fact that 98% of the student body has never been suspended, a substantial improvement from a decade ago.

“Learning how to regulate and learning how to calm has a natural effect, to shut down anything that comes behind it,” she said. “So that’s why we don’t have those fights. That’s why we don’t have that verbal assault, and that’s why the hallways are quiet.”

The "reflection room" at W.D. Kelley School on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. It's a space where students or staff can come to take a break and speak with a trauma specialist.

‘The conversations weren’t happening’

A growing body of research supports programs like this as a way to improve academic achievement in neighborhoods with high levels of poverty and violence. More than one-fifth of Philadelphia residents live below the federal poverty line, according to the latest Census data. While gun violence is down from a record-high number of shootings in 2022, the problem persists. There were 979 shootings citywide, 206 of them fatal, in 2025.

Tyrique Glasgow, director of an after-school mentorship program called the Young Chances Foundation in Philadelphia’s Grays Ferry neighborhood, said the environment has a profound effect on how children behave at school.

“If at night you look out your window and there’s still the blur of police lights and sirens, are you having a good night’s sleep?” he said. “When they get into the school and someone says, ‘Sit down,’ or ‘Why you not paying attention?’, do you think the child could articulate, ‘Hey, you know, it was a shooting on my block last night?’

He noted a lot of kids he serves also get to school late and often skip breakfast because of stressors at home. The elementary schools in Glasgow’s neighborhood do not have the PHASeS program.

As a result of the PHASeS curriculum, Kelley staff extended breakfast service by about two hours, so students arriving late wouldn’t be hungry and irritable during their morning classes.

Knights, the English teacher, said after the training she started having lunch with students she suspected were struggling. It was during those breaks that heavy topics started to come up.

“The conversations weren’t happening,” she said. “It literally just changed everything. You went from not being able to connect to developing deep connections.”

Making trauma approaches sustainable

Exposure to trauma, and particularly violence, “has an impact on everything from memory to the ability of children to concentrate,” said Pedro Noguera, dean of the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. “When it’s not addressed, it manifests itself as disruptive behavior.”

Noguera has been watching the movement for trauma-informed schools slowly gain momentum across the country in recent years. He’s also seen opposition from people who want more discipline and fewer wellness resources. And he’s noticed school districts spending funds on lockdown drills rather than counselors.

“We have schools that are preparing for school shootings, which can itself traumatize children,” he said. “We’re preparing ourselves for violence, rather than finding ways to reduce the likelihood of violence, which is kind of crazy.”

PHASeS is funded by Temple, the school district, the state, and the federal Department of Justice. Currently all five PHASeS schools have a trauma specialist or another PHASeS staffer on site regularly. There is also a mindfulness coach in two of the schools.

The level of staffing, and how often schools can order new furniture and fidget toys, fluctuates based on availability of district and state funds, program staff said.

“Funding is challenging right now,” said Mary Beth Hays, an assistant professor in Temple’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine and director of the program. “In some ways, what we’re doing is really getting to a place of health and strength within each of these buildings. But it really takes time. We’re in the middle of a conversation that shouldn’t be interrupted by resources or lack of funds.”

The School District of Philadelphia started providing trauma training to teachers in 2017. That same year they launched the STEP program in 21 schools, which connects students to therapists, case managers, and family peer specialists. And some public schools have built “calming rooms” over the years.

But a comprehensive program like PHASeS can change the culture of an entire building, said Hays.

“We’re hoping to create a relational safety that then begets classroom safety, hallway safety, playground safety, cafeteria safety,” she said. “And so when I think about the ways that we are interfacing with gun violence, it is in both prevention and in response”

Edwards, the principal, says it comes down to a simple idea — students having someone to talk to.

“There’s an expectation that someone is listening to how they feel,” she said. “There’s an expectation that they are cared for and concerned for in this building. And that we, all together, have learned and continuously learn about how to work through trauma.”

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

Colorado bill would let schools and colleges seek gun confiscation under ‘red flag’ safety law

2026-02-02T22:38:08+00:00

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Colorado Senate lawmakers gave crucial approval Monday to a bill that would update the state’s “red flag” gun laws to allow K-12 schools and colleges to request that someone’s guns be temporarily confiscated.

Under the current law, individual educators such as teachers and college professors can already make such a request. The bill would allow an educational institution itself to do so, too. Supporters say that by involving the institutions, Senate Bill 4 would help educators who are not familiar with the process file these petitions.

Colorado’s law for extreme-risk protection orders allows law enforcement to confiscate a person’s firearms for up to a year if a judge determines that the person poses a danger to themselves or others. The law was updated in 2023 to add educators, physicians, and mental health professionals to the list of people who can ask that someone’s guns be temporarily removed in response to a safety threat.

State Sen. Tom Sullivan, an Aurora Democrat who sponsored the bill, said he wants to add institutions as well to help streamline the process and add a layer of support for their employees. Along with K-12 schools and colleges, the bill adds healthcare and behavioral health treatment facilities as qualified petitioners.

“Teachers, doctors and therapists were not trained to fill out the forms to file this type of paperwork,” Sullivan said. “That is why it is so important to allow the institutions, hospitals, and others to file because that’s what they were trained for. It’s also what they have the time to do.”

Senate lawmakers approved the bill on second reading after substantial debate. The Senate must pass the bill on a third reading before it can go to the House for consideration.

State Rep. Meg Froelich, an Englewood Democrat, is the House sponsor.

Republican lawmakers and gun rights advocates oppose the bill, including some who object to “red flag” laws more broadly. They said the bill infringes on gun owners’ rights and privacy. They also argue the change would allow petitioners to hide behind their employer or even file a false report.

State Sen. Lynda Zamora Wilson, an El Paso County Republican, said during the debate that the orders can be extremely costly to gun owners and presume guilt.

She said this bill treats owners who have a petition filed against them “like criminals while denying them the rights afforded even to the guilty. By increasing the number of petitioners, this bill multiplies these injustices.”

Republican lawmakers sought to pass numerous amendments on Monday, including one to require listing the name of the individuals involved, such as a teacher or healthcare worker, when an institution files a petition. None of them passed. Democratic lawmakers said the ERPO form already calls for an individual’s signature to file the petition, and the punishment for a false report is perjury.

The bill to allow institutions as petitioners doesn’t include a significant financial impact on the state.

A Colorado Office of Gun Violence Prevention report says between 2020 and 2024, 692 petitions were filed under the “red flag” law. Of these, a judge granted 478 temporary orders and 371 final orders. While full orders last a year, a temporary extreme-risk protection order lasts 14 days.

Along with educators and medical and mental health providers, a person’s family or household members, law enforcement officers, and district attorneys can ask for a petition.

Experts report few educators have used the law since the 2023 update. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has sought to help teachers and college educators understand the law, including a training called the ERPO Curriculum for Educators.

Shalyn Kettering, legal counsel to Weiser, said during a committee hearing last week that individuals who file ERPOs want to be able to elevate concerns to their employers. Weiser has supported these laws and said they’re not used enough.

“It’s been clear from these conversations that clarifications are required of the statute to better match what’s happening on the ground,” Kettering said.

Evie Hudak, who testified last week on behalf of the Colorado PTA, said children have lived in the shadow of mass shootings. She also referenced last year’s shooting at Evergreen High School, where a 16-year-old student wounded two classmates before taking his own life.

“We strongly believe that this bill will help keep our children safer,” Hudak said. “Teachers spend a lot of time with our children and are aware of their potential for violence.”

If the bill is passed during the session, it would be the third time the state has updated its extreme risk petition orders laws. The original bill passed in 2019 and was sponsored by Sullivan, who has been a leading gun control advocate since his son was murdered during the 2012 Aurora theater shooting.

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

Philadelphia school safety officers to get bulletproof vests, handcuffs, and new uniforms next fall

2026-02-02T11:00:00+00:00

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School safety officers on School District of Philadelphia campuses will be issued “personal ballistic protection,” including bulletproof vests and handcuffs, by the beginning of next school year.

The Board of Education voted Thursday to approve a $600,000 contract with police supply store Atlantic Tactical. The funding will come out of the school safety operating budget.

The decision to outfit safety officers with protective equipment comes out of the most recent agreement between the district and the School Police Association of Philadelphia, the union representing school police.

“Our officers are the first line of defense for the safety of our students and our staff,” said Bernadette Ambrose-Smith, the association’s president and a former school safety officer. “They have to not be fearful.”

Philadelphia’s 350 school safety officers are not sworn law enforcement officers and they do not carry firearms.

In addition to vests, the officers will get handcuffs and new uniforms, Ambrose-Smith said. Since 2020, these employees have worn polos and slacks rather than police-style uniforms. The bulletproof vest will be worn under the shirt. Certain school safety officers who are assigned patrol duty will be issued pepper spray and batons.

The decision represents the latest change for school safety officers, whose presence on campuses has been controversial in Philadelphia recently. In 2020, after George Floyd’s murder, members of the Philadelphia Student Union called to eliminate all school police and replace them with community members trained in deescalation.

Later that year, the district moved from calling these employees “school police” to using the term “school safety officers.”

Multiple studies have found that school resource officers do not reduce gun-related incidents at schools, but do intensify the use of suspension, expulsion and police referral, especially for Black and Brown students.

And the changes will likely have negative psychological impacts on some children, said Monic Behnken, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Iowa State University.

“When you have someone coming into your school space in tactical gear, there is no message of calming,” she said. “An officer in full uniform is already anxiety-provoking. The more you arm them up, the more anxiety a student would naturally feel.”

Naftali Rosso-Cohen, a 10th grader at Science Leadership Academy Center City, echoed that sentiment.

“I feel like bulletproof vests have a militant feel to them,” he said. “It feels like there’s this person who feels like they could be shot at.”

Rosso-Cohen said he understands the need for safety officers to have protection. He still feels shaken about a shooting just outside his school last year.

But he also thinks the $600,000 could be spent on more urgent needs across the district, such as classrooms that are in poor condition and aren’t safe learning environments.

“We should be tackling that first, probably before the bulletproof vests. And also tackling that will help students generally just feel better,” he said. “And I think that’ll help with everyone’s safety.”

The fiscal year 2026 school safety budget is roughly $40 million, a 2% increase from the year prior. It’s about the same as what the district spends on school nurses.

Between 2020 and 2024, the school district recorded an average of 96 “weapons offenses” per year, which include “possession of a gun, knife, sharp object, or any instrument capable of causing serious bodily harm.”

But Behnken said school resource officers can still escalate situations that could be handled in other ways.

“50 years ago, [behavior] that would result in a call to mom or dad now results in a referral and police involvement that could really change the course of a student’s life,” said Behnken, of Iowa State University.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

Tips about violent threats to schools are up in Philly. Experts say that might be a good thing.

2026-01-27T16:01:58+00:00

The number of threats to Philadelphia schools reported via a state-run anonymous tip line has more than doubled in the past two years, according to data from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.

The office launched the Safe2Say Something tip line in 2018 to comply with a statewide mandate that all schools establish a phone, texting, or app system for kids to report bullying, suicide, drug use, and other issues.

The number of tips about “Threats Against Schools” increased 82% across Pennsylvania and 164% in Philadelphia from the 2023-24 to the 2024-25 school years. That’s a larger jump than any other category during that period.

And that might be a good thing, according to experts, because it means students are using the tool as soon as they become aware of a potential threat. Both the state attorney general’s office and the School District of Philadelphia say staff have been spreading the word about the program, and school communities are becoming more familiar with it.

“It’s kind of what we expected, and kind of what we want to see,” said Dr. Jack Rozel, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.

There’s been a rise in tips about threats to schools across the nation, according to Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization that developed the model that PA’s program is based on.

Prior studies on school shootings have found that there’s often “leakage” that happens ahead of time — for example, a student telling a friend they have a plan to bring a gun to school.

“We’re just starting to talk about this now, in the broader field of threat management,” said Rozel, who co-directs the threat assessment team at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “We need to sort of build out this network of credible receivers and tip lines like Safe2Say.”

In Pennsylvania, all tips go through the state attorney general’s crisis center. Their team conducts an anonymous dialogue with tipsters to weed out illegitimate tips, and categorize each tip as life-threatening or not. Analysts deliver the information to the impacted school and, when needed, local law enforcement. Schools then conduct their own investigations and report back to the state.

There’s a risk that students abuse the system, said multiple experts, due to internet trends such as swatting and the potential to submit tips as a form of retaliation during an interpersonal conflict.

Statewide, 3% of all submissions last year and 4% the year before were prank tips or abuses of the system, according to the annual Safe2Say Something report produced by the office.

After the state identifies some tips as immediately false, the school district investigates whether the remaining tips pose a viable danger to the school. The Philadelphia district said the number of verified “serious threat incidents” went down 16% between the 2022-2023 school year and the 2024-2025 school year.

For verified threats, the school district notifies the Threat Assessment Team, which includes the principal, a counselor, a safety officer, a school safety investigator, and the police department when necessary. Others including school nurses and special education staff may also be called in, according to the district.

Tips about violent threats do tend to spike after a nationally publicized school shooting, experts said. This happened in September 2024 when a student at Apalachee High School in Georgia killed two schoolmates and two teachers and injured nine others.

And a similar spike occurred after the 2022 Oxford High School shooting in Michigan.

Children are hyper-aware of these events, even though mass shootings made up just 1% of all gun violence in the U.S. in 2024, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

“Here we are in 2026, every kid in a K-12 school setting was born post- Columbine, was raised on active shooter drills,” Rozel said, referring to the 1999 school shooting in Colorado. “It’s Generation Lockdown.”

Without further study it’s impossible to know all of the drivers behind the spikes, said Elyse Thulin, a research assistant professor at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.

“Is it just that students are using the tip lines more, or is it that these behaviors are actually changing?” she said. “There’s almost no research on anonymous reporting systems. We’re still trying to dig into it.”

In Philadelphia, “Threats Against Schools” was the second-most common tip at the end of last school year, and the ninth-most-common the year prior. Bullying has consistently been the most frequently submitted tip since 2018, with the exception of 2020 when suicide surpassed it for that year only.

Tip lines play a vital role in preventing multiple kinds of gun violence, Thulin said. Her team looked at four years of data from an anonymous tip line in North Carolina schools, and found that 10% of tips involved firearm threats.

Of those, 40% of tips were about a potential school shooting. The rest alerted schools to a weapon on or near campus, a bullying situation or argument, or a suicide attempt involving a gun.

A total of 151 guns have been confiscated throughout Pennsylvania as a result of the tip line since 2018, according to the attorney general’s office.

Programs like Safe2Say Something are “shifting the narrative from inevitable to preventable,” said Sandy Hook Promise spokesperson Aimee Thunberg.

“There are proven things we can put in place, and we can intervene earlier,” she said. “So they feel comfortable telling someone when they see something. Because they’re the eyes and ears of their school.”

In a 2025 report, the Pennsylvania Budget and Finance Committee said it was unable to review “the timeliness and specificity by which school entities resolved tips” due to confidentiality laws.

The report recommended periodic performance audits to ensure compliance, more advanced training for call-takers, and a requirement that school entities report back to the Attorney General’s Office within 48 hours for a life-threatening Safe2Say report and within 30 days for all other tips.

Last year a bipartisan group of legislators passed a bill that makes those changes.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

Appeal dismissed in wrongful death lawsuit related to fatal shooting outside of Denver’s East High

2026-01-24T00:20:23+00:00

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The family of a 16-year-old student who was shot and killed outside Denver’s East High School in 2023 has dropped a wrongful death lawsuit against Denver Public Schools.

The Colorado Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit Friday, a court order shows. DPS and the student’s family agreed to the dismissal, according to court documents. The documents do not give a reason. Each side will pay its own legal fees, the documents say.

An attorney for the family said he could not comment Friday. Denver Public Schools said in a statement that the district remains saddened by the death of the student, Luis Garcia.

“We respect the judicial process and the court’s decision to dismiss the appeal, marking the conclusion of this legal matter,” the school district’s statement said.

No one has been charged in connection with Luis’ death. The Denver Police Department said Friday that there are no updates in the case.

In their lawsuit, Luis’ family alleged that a juvenile male, identified only by a pseudonym, shot and killed Luis. The lawsuit alleged the juvenile male stole a white Kia Sportage, ran a red light near East High, drove the Kia “on a direct path straight to Luis,” and opened fire.

Luis was a junior at East and a talented player on the varsity soccer team when he was shot in February 2023 after dropping his cousin off at the school. Luis died of his injuries about two weeks later. His family sued DPS, East High, and the Denver school board in 2024.

They alleged that DPS “subverted and weakened” the security at East after the school board removed armed police officers from DPS schools in 2020, which the family said allowed “potential shooters to believe they would be able to execute an attack.”

Under a state law known as the Claire Davis School Safety Act, districts can be held liable for acts of violence at school if they fail to exercise “reasonable care” to protect students and staff.

But in 2025, a Denver District Court judge ruled that DPS was not liable for Luis’ death because his car was parked on a public street when he was shot.

Luis’ car was parked “where City Park Esplanade intersects East 17th Avenue, where both roads are used for the purpose of public transportation,” Judge Kandace C. Gerdes wrote. “The Court is not persuaded that these roads are ‘within the school facilities’ of East’s Property.”

Luis’ family appealed the ruling but has now agreed to dismiss that appeal.

DPS returned school resource officers to its schools in 2023 after Luis’ death and a separate shooting inside East High a month later. Two former East deans who were injured in that shooting are suing DPS as well. Those lawsuits are ongoing.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Memphis turned an old elementary school into the district security hub. Here’s an inside look.

2025-12-11T22:02:40+00:00

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Tucked inside a former South Memphis elementary school is a room with 18 televisions and 30 computers showing live footage of campuses across the state’s largest public school district.

This is Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ new real-time safety center, where leaders say 20 trained staff will monitor video feed and use artificial intelligence tools around the clock to more quickly coordinate emergency responses. It’s part of a yearslong project to overhaul the district’s security system, which includes upgrading cameras at every school building to include AI detection technology.

At a grand opening of the safety center Thursday, MSCS leaders dodged questions about how AI technology is being used in the new cameras. It’s unclear how much money the district spent on that technology and renovations to the old Alton Elementary school building.

Carolyn Jackson, the district’s interim chief of safety, said the changes were in large part motivated by a 2021 shooting at Cummings Elementary School that injured one Memphis student and put another in custody.

“That’s what kept me up at night. That’s why we’re here,” Jackson said. “Cummings was really a unique situation … it made me say, ‘We can’t have this anymore.’”

MSCS leaders said Thursday that they worked with the global technology company Bosch to design AI-enhanced cameras that fit the district’s needs. But they declined to share details. According to Bosch’s website, the equipment typically uses visual and audio AI to detect guns and recognize other “unsafe behavior” like crowd formations or students lying on the ground.

Districts across the country have started turning to AI in recent years to boost weapons detection security as the number of school shootings remains at a nationwide record high. Those moves are often met with concerns about the over-policing of students and the likelihood of false alarms.

And there have been recent instances of AI-assisted detection systems failing to work at all, such as the Nashville school shooting last January where the school’s detection technology failed to detect the gun used to kill a 16-year-old student.

A team of 20 staff will monitor live footage of MSCS campuses all day, every day.

MSCS board members approved a nearly $500,000 contract with Bosch to upgrade security cameras in 2022. And in 2024, the district set aside nearly $4 million to transform the old Alton building into a security hub. Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond said Thursday that the district also used Title IV funding and state grants to finish the project.

Richmond said the center “will allow us to respond faster to potential threats or emergencies, reducing officer response times significantly.”

Jackson said over 50% of the district’s schools are equipped with the new cameras. The real-time safety center, she said, opened around three weeks ago. On top of monitoring and dispatch services, the building is also used as a training center.

Up the stairs from the TV monitoring room, there’s an active shooter simulator that Jackson said both MSCS officers and other local police departments use to practice responses. In a demonstration Thursday, an MSCS officer fired a fake gun as immersive videos played on a large screen.

In one scene, a student pulled a gun out of his backpack and began shooting in the cafeteria. In another, the officer ran into a school building to find a staff member being shot in the auditorium. Jackson said officers will train there annually in accordance with state law.

At Thursday’s opening ceremony, MSCS leaders praised the safety center as a guiding example for repurposing vacant school buildings. In the face of rising maintenance costs, the district formed a facilities committee this fall to come up with creative uses for inevitable school closures over the next decade.

Board members are expected to vote in February on Richmond’s proposal to close four schools at the end of this year. District leaders haven’t decided what those buildings will be used for if the closures are approved.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Over 30 Memphis schools could lose cleaning services in January after board rejects custodian contract

2025-12-03T21:16:56+00:00

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Memphis school leaders are scrambling to fill an expiring custodian contract that could mean around 35 schools would lose cleaning services come January.

The school board rejected a proposal to hire ABM Industries in a 5-2 vote Tuesday during the last meeting scheduled for this calendar year. Board members cited complaints against the company from its work with Memphis-Shelby County Schools around 10 years ago.

“I care about whether kids show up to clean schools,” board member Amber Huett-Garcia said. “And we have evidence that this is a risk.”

This isn’t the first time custodian contracts have caused trouble for MSCS leaders. The one up for grabs now comes as a one-year emergency deal with ServiceMaster Clean and Parcou, formed after the district suddenly fired former vendor Fresh Start in 2024 for delayed worker payments and contract violations, expires Dec. 31. Each contract costs the district between $7 and $10 million per year.

“We do not want to be back in the news for the same thing we were in the news last year for,” board member Towanna Murphy said Tuesday. “The last thing we need is another Fresh Start event to happen where we have to rush and put people in position to clean these schools.”

Michelle McKissack, who voted to approve ABM’s contract Tuesday alongside Chair Natalie McKinney, said the district is in a “rock and a hard place situation.”

“We’re concerned about issues that were documented a decade ago,” she said.

Other school districts have cited more recent issues with ABM custodial services, including Hamilton County Schools in Tennessee. The company did not respond to Chalkbeat’s request for comment.

MSCS Chief Financial Officer Tito Langston said ABM was chosen based on a rubric that “fairly and objectively” measures vendor performance. The company would only provide services through the end of 2026. Board members are expected to vote on new four-year custodial contracts in May or June.

“When schools start back [after winter break], we need some solution in place,” Langston said. “Our job is to hold any vendor that is in our schools accountable to services.”

Board members pressed district leaders Tuesday to come up with different options, which means a special meeting could be called this month. Langston said the most likely solution will be using existing MSCS staff to fill the gaps.

The district started outsourcing cleaning services in 2013 to save money after the merger of Memphis City and Shelby County schools. That raised concerns about worker pay and service quality at the time, which came to a head in 2022 when the board controversially decided to pay one vendor to manage staff at all schools. One year later, MSCS split services into four different regional contracts.

Three of those original four vendors — ServiceMaster Clean, Parcou, and HES Facilities — were approved by board members for another one-year contract starting Jan. 1, 2026. But Langston said those vendors can’t take over cleaning for the 35 schools in the Northwest region of MSCS, which is what happened this year after Fresh Start was fired.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

In increasingly Hispanic Memphis schools, immigration enforcement surge brings fear, absences

2025-10-28T22:29:00+00:00

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Memphis educators say Hispanic students are showing up to class distressed and distracted, or not showing up at all, in the wake of a controversial federal law and immigration enforcement surge in the city.

The full impact on Memphis-Shelby County Schools is not yet clear. The district has not released complete attendance data for October, though leaders indicated there hasn’t been a sharp decline in attendance in the last few weeks. But educators say effects are being felt in classrooms at an increasingly diverse Memphis school system.

Board member Amber Huett-Garcia said multiple high school teachers told her that students “have just stopped showing up.”

“And they’ve stopped going to extracurricular activities, because they don’t want to be out of the house,” she added.

Nationwide, the increase in immigration enforcement has disproportionately affected Latino communities. Nearly one in five MSCS students is Hispanic, compared to just over 11% in 2014, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Education. And in local charter schools, the number of Hispanic students has more than doubled in the past decade.

One MSCS teacher in a predominantly Hispanic charter school said a parent pulled her child out of school entirely because of concerns about immigration enforcement.

“She sent me a message and just said that she was scared, that they were in a difficult situation and they would have to leave the city,” said the teacher, whom Chalkbeat is not naming due to her concerns about protecting her students. “They withdrew the next day.”

Now, some state and local immigration advocates are pushing district leaders to create “safe buffer zones” and increase busing to ease concerns about students and families encountering immigration officials on the way to and from school.

Last week, Huett-Garcia pressed MSCS leaders for attendance numbers and asked about resources available for concerned families. Superintendent Roderick Richmond said the district hasn’t put any new support measures in place because he hasn’t heard reports of ICE activity on school campuses.

But Memphis educators and local officials, including Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, say ICE agents are targeting Hispanic residents and focusing on neighborhoods where they live.

“Every single day this week, I have seen pickup trucks with the label ‘Border Patrol’ on Summer Avenue,” Huett-Garcia said. “When there are outside factors that affect our attendance, we should know and be aware of that. Our kids feel safe in our buildings, it’s just getting to and from those buildings.”

Memphis educators: Classes are emptier, students more fearful

In the past month, hundreds of federal and state agents, including from the Tennessee National Guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have arrived in Memphis in a push President Donald Trump has said is meant to reduce violent street crime.

Tennessee and Memphis Republicans have backed Trump’s law enforcement surge, arguing increased law enforcement is needed to address longstanding crime issues within the city.

“For too long, citizens of Memphis, Shelby Co, and West TN have dealt with the ravages of out-of-control crime,” Rep. Mark White, a GOP state lawmaker from Memphis, said in September. “We must fix this problem now and get routine offenders off the streets to save our city.”

State Democrats and local leaders have sharply criticized the National Guard deployment and the increase of federal agents in the city, saying the moves trample local authority and lack transparency concerning who’s arrested. Preliminary data suggested a majority of the task force’s arrests have been for non-violent offenses and immigration-related charges, the Commercial-Appeal reported this month.

In other cities subject to the Trump administration’s federal deployment, ICE has detained students. Chalkbeat reported the detainment of at least one public school student, a U.S. citizen, in Chicago, and the arrest of a 16-year-old student in New York last week.

There have been no reports that Memphis students have been detained, and no reports of ICE activity in Memphis schools. But Huett-Garcia said she talked to one MSCS teacher last week who cried with a student for hours because two of their family members had been detained that day.

“Memphis is in this state of reality now where people are disappearing,” she said. “As a community, as a country, we have to answer, ‘Are we OK with that?’”

The MSCS teacher at the predominantly Hispanic charter said she’s had “all time low” attendance this month. For three days in a row, 25% of her students were not in class, she said. When her young students do show up, she said, they’re “extremely scared” and distracted.

“My students are telling me that they miss their mom, that they want to go home even early in the day,” she said. “It’s been constant.”

During an October school board meeting, Stacey Davis, director of enrollment and attendance, said there has not been a “significant difference” in student attendance since the National Guard arrived on Oct. 10. Chalkbeat Tennessee requested individual school attendance data last week, but the district said it couldn’t provide that information until late November.

One principal of a predominantly Hispanic school in Memphis said attendance is “hit or miss,” with families deciding to send their children based on what they see on the news or hear through their network.

“Parents are fearful about being out, dropping off their kids, picking them up, so they’re keeping them home more frequently,” the principal said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to protect their students’ privacy.

Meanwhile, the MSCS charter teacher said the threat to students and their families “can be paralyzing when you don’t have access to the right training.”

Could MSCS do more in response to ICE?

Although she said immigration enforcement is “outside of our control or jurisdiction,” Huett-Garcia said she’s open to working with county and city government officials to brainstorm creative solutions, especially when it comes to transportation barriers.

And she said she wants to hear from teachers about support they need, including grief training.

In Chicago, some board members and educators are calling for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to permit an emergency switch to virtual learning, although Pritzker has expressed skepticism about the idea. Chicago Public Schools has also sent out messages assuring parents that school buildings are safe from ICE interference and reminding them of their rights.

But in other communities, many support efforts are happening on a school-by-school basis.

MSCS does have a list of parent rights and resources on the district website when it comes to immigration issues. But the elementary teacher said district leadership should offer teacher training on how to interact with federal agencies, even outside of school grounds.

“Realistically, I’m not expecting ICE to show up at my door and try to take away one of my students,” she said. “What I am expecting is for them to wait down the street and arrest a parent at a traffic stop, because that’s what we’re seeing happening.”

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

3 Denver school resource officers request transfers to other jobs due to overtime pay issue

2025-09-23T18:35:37+00:00

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Three Denver high school campuses have temporary police officers after their full-time officers asked last week to be reassigned, a Denver Police Department spokesperson said.

The school resource officers at Montbello High School, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College, and the Regis Groff Campus, which is home to two charter schools, asked to be reassigned because the police department stopped allowing them “to collect overtime for their regular assignment,” said Doug Schepman, the department’s director of communications.

The department “is ensuring there will be no reduction in officer coverage at these three schools” while it works to find new full-time school resource officers, or SROs, Schepman said.

“The plan is to provide the same level of officer coverage at these three schools during this transition, and the plan does not include sharing SROs with nearby schools,” he said.

In total, there are SROs at 13 Denver high schools.

The search for three new SROs in Denver comes shortly after a school shooting in neighboring Jeffco Public Schools. Evergreen High School had only a part-time SRO, who was not there when a student opened fire on Sept. 10, wounding two classmates before taking his own life. When students return to Evergreen High later this week, the school will have a full-time SRO.

Denver Public Schools said in a statement that it hasn’t changed its policy on police in schools. The district removed SROs in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, but reinstated them in 2023 after several shootings in and around East High School.

In its statement, DPS called the situation with the three SROs “an internal issue” within the police department. DPS said it is “working with the Denver Police Department to understand the situation and to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure continued safety within our schools.”

Schepman said the three SROs previously worked a “9/80” schedule, which meant they had one day off every two weeks. But the officers were still working on that day off, allowing them to collect overtime pay. Schepman said the arrangement, which was approved by a previous supervisor, was “inappropriate.” When the department discontinued it, the three SROs “requested transfers to different assignments,” Schepman said.

The Denver Police Department is currently covering the entire cost of the SROs stationed at Denver schools. Before 2020, the department and the school district split the cost.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

School safety agents to be overseen by NYPD’s first deputy commissioner

2025-08-28T19:02:45+00:00

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After considering shifting oversight of school safety agents to the office of Chief of Department John Chell, the NYPD is instead placing the division under the office of first deputy commissioner Tania Kinsella, department officials and a department source said.

The decision was finalized after THE CITY reported last week, based on multiple sources, that the department was moving the agents under Chief of Department John Chell.

The school safety division is currently under the Community Affairs Bureau, and the department’s initial plan to move it under Chell — who has been an architect of some of the department’s more aggressive policing tactics in recent years, including a surge in vehicle pursuits — drew criticism within hours.

Jake Martinez, deputy director of the New York Civil Liberties Union’s Education Policy Center, said in a statement released this past Friday that putting the division under the authority of NYPD brass “is a dangerous move that will hurt students and make schools less safe.”

A number of current and former NYPD officials told THE CITY it’s unusual for the office of the first deputy commissioner to oversee school safety operations because the office mostly deals with administrative issues.

But an NYPD spokesperson said the first deputy commissioner already oversees a number of operational units. The department said the move was structural and that it would yield better oversight of school safety agents.

“While the role and functions of school safety agents will remain the same, this organizational change will improve the School Safety Division’s ability to serve our children and schools safely and effectively,” an NYPD spokesperson said.

As THE CITY reported last week, the shift in oversight of school safety agents comes at a sensitive time for policing matters.

The administration of President Donald Trump is employing multiple tools to boost the rate of deportations of noncitizens — including people arrested for but not convicted of crimes, as well as, in some cases, minors.

The structural shift also comes as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and some of the city’s district attorneys have been advocating for a return to harsher penalties for teens ages 16 and 17 who commit violent crimes.

A state law passed in 2017 known as “Raise The Age” moved many cases of 16- and 17-year-olds to family court rather than criminal court, often yielding penalties short of jail time.

The administration of former Mayor Bill de Blasio had committed to moving school safety agents out of the NYPD entirely during the Black Lives Matter movement, and putting them under the authority of the Department of Education.

But the plan was never completed before de Blasio’s term ended in late 2021 and it was abandoned by the administration of Mayor Eric Adams.

Lead, fleas, and heat: Memphis school leaders respond to early facilities issues

2025-08-15T23:10:41+00:00

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Memphis-Shelby County Schools leaders say it’s doubtful that students were exposed to lead by recently reported contaminated water sources.

Michelle Stuart, the district’s facilities leader, said in a press conference Friday that she received the state-mandated lead testing results on July 27. By the next day, all sinks and fountains deemed unsafe were shut off.

“Let me be clear that that was before school started for the year, so no children were in the building,” Stuart said.

MSCS officials called the press conference less than a day after the Shelby County Health Department announced it will offer free blood-lead testing to students at the 24 affected schools.

Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond said it “may be safe to assume” the toxic metal accumulated in school water sources over the summer, though the last time MSCS leaders conducted districtwide testing was in 2023.

Plumbers are working to discover and repair the source so that sinks and fountains can be re-tested and turned back on. In the meantime, the district will provide bottled water to all affected schools. All buildings also have water filtration systems in at least one water fountain to provide clean drinking water.

Richmond said leaders wanted to “provide context” about facilities-related issues hitting the school system in its first two weeks of classes, including reports of fleas at Berclair Elementary and HVAC disruptions at Central High School.

“We want to be a transparent administration,” Richmond said.

The district reported air conditioning issues in four classrooms at Central High School early Friday, saying one student experienced a medical emergency but is now in stable condition. Stuart said that student was not in a classroom where temperatures were higher than usual, reaching around 76 degrees instead of the preferred 68-72 degree range.

Classes at Central continued without disruption Friday, Stuart said. Cooling issues haven’t been as big of a burden this year, she said, because of “chillers” in place at most MSCS schools.

“It’s really hot outside,” Stuart said during the press conference. “The systems are old in our buildings, and they’re working as hard as they can.”

Since 2021, MSCS has spent over $200 million on repairing school HVAC systems, making up over half of the district’s total maintenance costs.

Stuart said she is confident that the fleas reported last week at Berclair Elementary are now gone. MSCS treated the campus buildings starting Aug. 7 and through the weekend and applied a three-tiered insecticide system on Monday.

“I have not had a single report since then,” Stuart said. The source of the insects hasn’t been found.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Shelby County offers free lead testing to students exposed to unsafe water

2025-08-14T22:38:02+00:00

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The Shelby County Heath Department is offering free blood testing for all students who attend the 24 Memphis schools that reported lead-contaminated water last week.

District officials said in a press release Aug. 8 that most sites with unsafe lead levels are kitchen or concession stand sinks. But seven schools have at least one water source containing over 10 times the state legal limit. And Kingsbury Middle and Raleigh Egypt High schools found the toxic metal in drinking fountains.

Health Department Director Bruce Randolph urged families notified of school lead risk to call 901-222-8219 to set up a blood screening appointment.

“Early detection and treatment is the best way to protect children who have been exposed to lead,” he said in a Thursday statement.

Children under six years old are especially vulnerable to the metal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even a small amount of lead in a child’s bloodstream can damage developing brains and nervous systems, causing learning and behavior issues.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools officials said last week that they immediately shut off water sources with high lead levels, and will be providing bottled water in affected buildings. Health officials have already started visiting those campuses to ensure compliance.

MSCS will be required to test contaminated water sources annually, the health department said, until the lead level falls below the state-mandated maximum of 20 parts lead per billion parts of water.

Parents can also request a blood lead screening through their child’s primary health care provider.

The following MSCS schools reported water contamination:

Bellevue Middle, kitchen sink (48 ppb).
Bolton High, two concession sinks (148 and 28 ppb).
Central High, kitchen sink (24 ppb).
Cromwell Elementary, kitchen sink (29 ppb).
Ford Road Elementary, kitchen sink (21 ppb).
Geeter Middle, kitchen sink (44 ppb).
Georgian Hills Elementary, kitchen sink (204 ppb).
Germantown High, two stadium sinks (422 and 30 ppb).
Invictus Academy at Airways, cafeteria sink (765 ppb).
Jackson Elementary, kitchen sink (49 ppb).
Kingsbury Middle, bottle filler outside cafeteria (23 ppb).
Middle College High, concession sink (212 ppb).
Northeast Prep Academy, kitchen sink (27 ppb).
Oak Forest Elementary, kitchen sink (113 ppb).
Peabody Elementary, kitchen sink (29 ppb).
Raleigh-Bartlett Meadows Elementary, kitchen sink (235 ppb).
Raleigh Egypt High, kitchen sink and cafeteria water cooler (276 and 31 ppb, respectively).
Raleigh Egypt Middle, kitchen sink (23 ppb).
Sheffield Career and Technical Center, kitchen sink (34 ppb).
Sheffield Elementary, kitchen sink (42 ppb).
Southwest Career and Technical, kitchen sink (161 ppb).
Treadwell Middle, kitchen ice machine (236 ppb).
White Station High, kitchen ice machine (36 ppb).
Whitehaven Elementary, kitchen sink (581 ppb).

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Memphis district to consider school closures as school building crisis looms

2025-08-14T20:23:10+00:00

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Labrandon Fletcher, a 16-year-old student in Memphis-Shelby County Schools, says there’s a long list of things that need fixing in his school building.

The ceiling at Hamilton High School is “falling apart,” he said, and the bathroom plumbing needs dire attention. But the biggest issues are lighting and air conditioning.

“No one wants a dark place to learn and get an education,” Fletcher said. “It’s harder to see things, to see what’s on the board.”

Fletcher is one of many community members, including a small group of students, who brought their concerns to the first meeting of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools facilities committee on Wednesday.

The group is expected to give recommendations for how the district should address over $1.6 billion in deferred maintenance costs in the next decade. That plan will include some school closures, committee leaders said.

MSCS students and school leaders described years of quick fixes in deteriorating buildings, with no sustainable plan in place.

Michelle Stuart, who heads MSCS’ facilities services, said Wednesday that the district prioritizes spending based on student safety. When closing schools, she said, leaders consider factors like building age and condition, enrollment numbers, and academic performance.

Free Bacchus, an assistant principal at Hamilton High School, said she remembers the outcry from parents when Magnolia and Charjean elementary schools closed to merge with a new Alcy Elementary in 2020. But her perspective changed when she toured the Alcy building.

“When I walked in, I was like, ‘Wow, how beautiful. How lucky are these children to have a library like this, a ceiling-to-wall window,’” Bacchus said.

“I know it hurt,” she said, to close the schools down. “But just look at what those kids got in return.”

Stuart said the MSCS facilities report, released by outside firm Bureau Veritas in April, found $334 million worth of repairs needed in schools in the next two years. The district has not yet fulfilled a Chalkbeat Tennessee July request for the report, which was provided to the Daily Memphian and other media earlier this year.

The firm also estimated an additional $1.2 billion in needed longer-term investments, bringing the district’s grand total in facilities maintenance to just under $3 billion over the next 20 years.

MSCS has spent over $381 million on building improvements and repairs since 2021, said Chief Financial Officer Tito Langston. Over half of that was used for HVAC upgrades, according to numbers he presented Wednesday.

Board Member Amber Huett-Garcia noted that almost none of the recent spending is “innovative.”

“This is keeping our schools functioning between roofs, heating, and cooling,” she said. “We’re patching our buildings.”

Nylah Sanders, a student at Whitehaven High School, said that the “simple, little things” are always being repaired at her school “over and over and over.” Her peer, Austin Townsel, said students “can use better” technology and air conditioning.

“We’re not in the 21st century,” Natalie McKinney, committee co-chair, said in response.

McKinney said the facilities committee is expected to meet again in early September, when members will break into working groups to tackle specific issues. Designated seats for students and parents still haven’t been filled.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Unsafe lead levels found in water at 24 Memphis schools

2025-08-08T22:32:13+00:00

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Over 10% of Memphis-Shelby County Schools have high levels of lead in at least one water source, according to the latest round of state-mandated testing.

Most of the contaminated sites are kitchen or concession stand sinks, the district said in a statement Friday. But two drinking water sources, located at Kingsbury Middle and Raleigh Egypt High schools, also showed lead levels well above the acceptable state limit of 20 parts lead per billion parts of water.

That threshold is set by a 2018 law that also requires Tennessee school districts to test water sources in buildings constructed before 1998 every two years.

The Environmental Protection Agency says the safety limit should be 15 parts per billion, or ppb. Children are especially vulnerable to lead, the agency says, which in even low levels of exposure can cause learning disabilities, impaired hearing, and blood cell damage.

Seven MSCS schools have water sources containing over 10 times the safe amount of lead. A cafeteria sink at Invictus Academy, for example, tested with a lead level of 765 ppb. And a Whitehaven Elementary kitchen sink came back with 581 ppb.

The district said in an emailed statement that all contaminated water sources were “immediately taken out of service,” and will be subject to corrective action and retesting in the next 90 days.

“We continue to provide bottled water to affected schools, and all of them have water filtration machines and hand sanitizer, which means students do not ever have to come in contact with the school’s water,” the district said.

In 2019, the first year of Tennessee school testing, 10 MSCS schools had contaminated water sources. The most recent tests flagged high lead levels at 24 out of the district’s 222 schools.

Below are those schools and their affected water sources. (A water source marked with an asterisk indicates a source with over 10 times the legal limit.)

Bellevue Middle, kitchen sink (48 ppb).
Bolton High, two concession sinks (148 and 28 ppb).
Central High, kitchen sink (24 ppb).
Cromwell Elementary, kitchen sink (29 ppb).
Ford Road Elementary, kitchen sink (21 ppb).
Geeter Middle, kitchen sink (44 ppb).
Georgian Hills Elementary, kitchen sink* (204 ppb).
Germantown High, two stadium sinks* (422 and 30 ppb).
Invictus Academy at Airways, cafeteria sink* (765 ppb).
Jackson Elementary, kitchen sink (49 ppb).
Kingsbury Middle, bottle filler outside cafeteria (23 ppb).
Middle College High, concession sink* (212 ppb).
Northeast Prep Academy, kitchen sink (27 ppb).
Oak Forest Elementary, kitchen sink (113 ppb).
Peabody Elementary, kitchen sink (29 ppb).
Raleigh-Bartlett Meadows Elementary, kitchen sink* (235 ppb).
Raleigh Egypt High, kitchen sink* and cafeteria water cooler (276 and 31 ppb, respectively).
Raleigh Egypt Middle, kitchen sink (23 ppb).
Sheffield Career and Technical Center, kitchen sink (34 ppb).
Sheffield Elementary, kitchen sink (42 ppb).
Southwest Career and Technical, kitchen sink (161 ppb).
Treadswell Middle, kitchen ice machine* (236 ppb).
White Station High, kitchen ice machine (36 ppb).
Whitehaven Elementary, kitchen sink* (581 ppb).

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Judge finds DPS not liable for shooting death of student Luis Garcia outside East High School

2025-07-31T23:37:43+00:00

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A judge has found that Denver Public Schools is not liable for the death of Luis Garcia, a 16-year-old student who was shot outside East High School in 2023 and died of his injuries.

Denver District Court Judge Kandace C. Gerdes ruled earlier this month that Luis was shot while inside his car on a public street and not on DPS property. Luis’ family sued DPS for wrongful death, but Gerdes dismissed the claims against the school district.

Luis’ family filed a notice Wednesday that it plans to appeal the ruling. Attorney Matthew Barringer, who is representing the family, said they respect the judge’s decision but disagree with it. More importantly, Barringer said, “the real story” is that Luis “still hasn’t received any justice” because no one has been charged with his murder.

The family, Barringer said, “has provided anything and everything they can to help bring justice to their son and to their family. And up to this point, all they have ever received is hollow promises, hollow platitudes.”

Both the Denver Police Department and the Denver District Attorney’s Office said Thursday that there are no updates in the case and that the investigation is ongoing.

Luis Garcia, on the right in the red jersey, played soccer for East High School.

A junior at East High, Luis was a talented soccer player who wore #11 on his jersey. On Feb. 13, 2023, Luis was shot in his car after dropping off his cousin at the school. Luis died of his injuries about two weeks later. His family sued DPS, East High, and the Denver school board in 2024.

Luis “was shot where City Park Esplanade intersects East 17th Avenue, where both roads are used for the purpose of public transportation,” Gerdes wrote in a July 18 order. “The Court is not persuaded that these roads are ‘within the school facilities’ of East’s Property.”

Gerdes noted in her ruling that there is an RTD bus stop “less than 500 feet from where [Luis] was shot,” which she said “corroborates that these two roadways were intended for use by the general public, and not ‘within the school facilities.’”

As such, Gerdes ruled that Luis’ family cannot invoke the Claire Davis School Safety Act, a state law named for a student who died in a school shooting. The law says school districts can be held liable if they fail to exercise “reasonable care” to protect students and staff from “reasonably foreseeable” acts of violence at school, including murder.

In their lawsuit, Luis’ family alleged that East High “subverted and weakened the security and safe environment” of the school after the removal of armed police officers, allowing “potential shooters to believe they would be able to execute an attack.”

The Denver school board had voted to remove school resource officers from DPS schools in 2020. DPS returned school resource officers to schools in 2023 after Luis’ death and a separate shooting inside East High a month later. Two deans injured in that shooting are also suing DPS.

“DPS extends its deepest sympathies to the Garcia-Bobadilla family and all affected by Luis’s loss,” the school district said in a statement responding to Gerdes’ ruling.

In addition to naming DPS, East High School, and the Denver school board in its lawsuit, Luis’ family also sued a juvenile male identified by a pseudonym and his mother. The lawsuit alleged that the juvenile male shot and killed Luis.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Detroit teens describe safety fears in school, at home, and on the street

2025-07-11T10:00:01+00:00

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This story was published as part of Next City’s Detroit News Hub, a reporting project funded by the Kresge Foundation. The hub includes BridgeDetroit, Planet Detroit, and Chalkbeat Detroit.

Detroit youth say they generally feel safe in school, but they fear the unknown, both within the school building and in their communities. That fear, some say, affects their mental health.

“Sometimes I just overthink it,” Natalina Cawthon, a student at Detroit School of Arts, told Chalkbeat.

Violent crime may be on the decline in Detroit, but youth who must navigate the city and its schools say fears about their safety can often feel overwhelming. Interviews with more than a dozen youth and adults who advocate on their behalf illustrate the challenges young people face — and the ways they cope.

Here’s what Chalkbeat heard from them:

Malaya Ramsey, 15, the School at Marygrove

Malaya Ramsey gets tense in places where teenagers gather in large numbers. Fights tend to break out, and she can’t forget the times she’s heard gunshots at carnivals, or the acquaintance who was killed at one.

“I’m always on edge, basically, watching my surroundings,” said Malaya, 15, a student at the School at Marygrove.

She generally feels comfortable at school. Marygrove, located on the former Marygrove College campus in northwest Detroit, is the newest high school in the district and has a focus on social justice. But safety can be an issue — like the time some teens from another high school came onto the campus with weapons to try to fight a Marygrove student.

“Luckily, my school, they get on top of these things quickly, so they de-escalated the problem,” she said, adding that the police arrived within minutes.

Though she’s concerned about incidents like that, Malaya said she feels supported.

“I talk to my parents and stuff like that a lot, so I tell them what’s on my mind, even my principals and stuff — I’m close with them, so I’ll tell them if I don’t feel comfortable,” she said. “But other people — some people don’t know how to express that.”

Detroit youth say they generally feel safe in school, but they fear the unknown, both within the school building and in their communities.

Tristian Grant, 16, Cody High School

Tristian Grant sometimes worries about violence. He feels unsafe when people start fighting, or in large crowds, where “it’s really unpredictable — anything could happen at any moment.”

Grant said he has been in a few fights but wasn’t seriously injured. “Someone was trying to bully me, so I had to stand up to them,” he said. Over time, the situation resolved. “They stopped bothering me, and we went on with our lives,” he said.

Social media is another safety concern, Grant said. “A lot of people like to threaten others and also start drama through social media.”

Have concerns about safety and fights affected his mental health? “I’d say for a short amount of time, yes, but eventually it goes away.”

Dulce Bravo, 18, Western International High School graduate

One of Dulce Bravo’s biggest fears is the ever-present threat of gun violence at school. She said she feels safe at school only half of the time.

Bravo said she has missed school because of a reported threat every year except her senior year. There’s “always random posts saying that they’re gonna shoot up the school, and specific dates and times, so I would miss school on those specific days and even the next day.”

She’s happy that the schools perform drills, so everyone can prepare in case something happens, Bravo said. But it bothers her when people don’t take the drills seriously. In a recent drill, she said, “People just kind of brushed it off as, like, it’s not a big deal — why are we even doing this? And I don’t like to see that.”

Chalkbeat talked to teens across the city to hear their concerns about safety issues.

Paola Negrete, 16, Cass Technical High School

Paola Negrete is involved in a few community organizations that address youth safety. She’s part of a coalition of organizations, including 482Forward, that has developed a school facilities bill to address unsafe conditions. She said students have reported ceiling tiles falling down, broken windows that make it too hot or too cold in classrooms, and dirty lunchrooms.

These community groups give youth a place to be with others their age who may be going through the same things, but Negrete and her peers also lean on the adults there, she said.

“The adult allies do a really good job with providing that mental health support when we come after school. They’re very understanding. They like to bond with us as well, so that’s where we get the time to just kind of relax, unfold,” and talk about the issues they’re dealing with, she said.

Safety for Negrete isn’t just about being free from violence. “Safety is more of a feeling, like a comfort. It doesn’t really involve police or metal detectors. . . . In community spaces, I feel very safe because I’m able to share my ideas and talk about how I feel, and not being judged or anything.”

Tiarra Hall, 18, WAY Academy West Campus graduate

Tiarra Hall uses public transportation to get to school. “I keep myself safe by not outwardly speaking to strangers and that sort of thing,” she said. “I don’t talk to anyone when I’m out unless I know them.”

When Hall was in elementary school, she walked to school. At the time, adults were volunteering to help students get to school safely. Knowing that someone was looking out for students going to and from school made her feel safer. Her mother was part of the program, helping to document things, she said.

When she sees fights, her thoughts go to how the fight could have been prevented, and how someone might intervene to talk the person down.

Natalina Cawthon, 14, Detroit School of Arts

Natalina Cawthon poses for a portrait on Fri., May 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Natalina Cawthon is concerned about gun violence at school and in her neighborhood.

She generally feels safe at her school, where the doors stay locked and there are metal detectors. Teachers often keep their classroom doors locked, too, she said.

But the potential of a school shooting sometimes affects Cawthon’s mental health. “Sometimes I just overthink it,” she said.

In her neighborhood, she would like to see more police officers. She added that it’s good for young people to be aware of their surroundings, including “setting boundaries with strangers and stuff because you never know. A lot of young people have gone missing.”

Ja’Nya Street, 16, the School at Marygrove

Ja’Nya Street feels the least safe at school.

She knows that incidents have happened when kids have been bullied, and schools don’t have enough mental health resources for the kids who need them.

“Anything can happen. Anybody can be feeling different. Anybody can be having a bad day. Some people just get on edge” and then may do something — from getting a gun and killing somebody to harming yourself, she said. “You never know who’s getting bullied,” she added.

Angelica Williams, 22, Detroit Board of Police Commissioners Youth Advisory Panel, Wayne State University student

The possibility of violence makes Angelica Williams feel unsafe, especially when she’s alone.

“Being a young Black girl, there are several different avenues where any situation or interaction could go wrong,” she said.

Angelica Williams, 22, poses for a portrait on Fri., May 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

She feels anxious when stopping at a gas station at night, for example. “There will be men that come up and make comments, or they’ll try to pump your gas. … And there’s just this level of knowledge — like the wrong word or wrong move or just his bad mood could end up making that situation unsafe.”

Gun violence is a concern of the Youth Advisory Panel — and Williams. “I’ve never watched it happen in real time, but there’s been shootings in my neighborhood that I’ve been home during,” she said. In some areas of Detroit where she’s lived, she’s woken up to shootings. “I think that there’s a culture of nonchalance about guns and firearms.”

Williams sees violence as a perpetual cycle that’s often inherited from parents and authority figures.

“There’s a lack of intentionality ensuring that youth have a safe space to congregate, to exist freely, to entertain themselves,” she said. “I think that a lot of youth conflict in particular comes from a place of not having active spaces and outlets for expressing oneself, for addressing conflict in productive ways.”

Ayme Head, 18, treasurer, Detroit Heals Detroit, Eastern Michigan University student

Ayme Head feels the least safe when she’s surrounded by people she doesn’t know.

“A rivalry could happen in Family Dollar while I’m just trying to grab some tissue, or someone could decide to do a drive-by while I’m at the park with my younger cousins. You don’t know everyone’s intentions, and you don’t know what everyone’s going through or what they came to do,” she said.

Ayme Head, 18, poses for a portrait on Fri., May 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Head is treasurer and financial advisor of Detroit Heals Detroit, a youth-led nonprofit that works to combat trauma and foster healing for Detroit youth. Through healing circles and in other ways, DHD has created “a place where people could come and share something that they won’t feel comfortable sharing with their family,” Head said. “If they don’t have that reliance or that safe space with their family, then we could be that second family for them.”

To improve safety, Head would like to see “community events with the police so they can try to better understand the community and the needs” and to build connections between the police and the community, she said.

If community members are connected to each other, they’ll protect each other, she said. “The bond’s so strong that when crime does happen, it’s going to be a real no-go.”

Camille Hollenquest, 24, executive director, Detroit Heals Detroit

To feel safe, youth need “third spaces” where they can be in community with other youth, said Camille Hollenquest. “Sometimes you just need to be in a space with other youth where it’s like, ‘I understand and I hear you, I feel you,’ as well as making sure that the youth who are in that space — they have the tools to further navigate situations when another young person is coming to them with the heaviness of their experiences,” they said.

Camille Hollenquest, 25, poses for a portrait on Fri., May 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Hollenquest has seen, from the high school students Detroit Heals Detroit works with, that these students are experiencing a critical point in their development, and “it becomes a point where everything feels like it’s on fire.” If that happens, by the time they’re in high school they may “become less open to talking about it, and they also begin to kind of normalize it. And I think that’s a major problem, because when situations and experiences like that, which are very negative, become kind of like a normal occurrence for folks, it’s hard for them to actually be able to identify when something is unsafe or something is not right,” they said. “It’s kind of like that light bulb isn’t turning on all the way.”

Another safety problem is that, through fear and propaganda, people are “conditioned and socialized” to believe that certain people — like Black boys and unhoused people — are unsafe, Hollenquest said. “When groups of people who are the most vulnerable become villains in the eyes of their community members, it creates this feeling of unsafety that’s not grounded in truth,” they said.

Alexis Escoto, 23, Detroit Board of Police Commissioners Youth Advisory Panel

Alexis Oscoto feels the least safe in his community park, where he goes to jog and ride his bike. “Sometimes I have to be super aware because there’s a big parking lot right next to the park, so sometimes people make donuts or drag racing,” and he’s afraid they might drive onto the park.

Alexis Escoto, 23, poses for a portrait on Fri., May 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Another concern is that “there’s a lot of drug needles there. So I’m afraid, not just for me, but also for other people, that they can accidentally stumble upon those needles.”

With the Youth Advisory Panel, an issue that many youth and community members are concerned about is “the usage of facial recognition or AI technology within the police department,” Escoto said. People have experienced cases of mistaken identity, such as going to the gas station and then getting arrested a couple of weeks later because of mistaken facial recognition, he said.

In Escoto’s majority-Hispanic community, people feel unsafe because of ICE. “In today’s climate, they’re afraid of getting out,” he said. He carries “know your rights” cards in his car and gives them out to people. People’s fear of ICE extends to distrust of the police, he said.

“More and more people I noticed are starting to have the mentality of ‘F the police,’ and when something happens, they try not to call the police because they’re afraid the police might make the situation even worse,” Escoto said.

He’d like to see workshops or other events that provide education on policing.

Armani Arnold, 23, Detroit Phoenix Center Youth Action Board

When Armani Arnold was growing up, she was in and out of homelessness, and she went to Detroit Phoenix Center for support. It provides physical resources, like housing assistance, food, and hygiene necessities — but also emotional support. “I feel most emotionally, mentally, physically safe there. I feel like I’m able to speak my mind and not be judged,” she said. Now Arnold is on the organization’s Youth Action Board.

Armani Arnold poses for a portrait on Thurs., May 29, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Some youth act out because they don’t understand their emotions, but they should be able to “feel safe, to share and be vulnerable, and to … understand your emotions and why you feel that way,” Arnold said. “I didn’t know any better growing up, because I didn’t have my parents … I didn’t know how to control my emotions or deal with my emotions, because it was all over the place, because nobody was there to actually try to help me.”

Sometimes, adults can make youth feel stupid because of something they just don’t know and never learned, Arnold said. This could be “making them feel bad for something that happened to them but they didn’t know, or they just made a simple mistake.” So providing safe spaces to help youth with “understanding your emotional intelligence, your emotional patterns, and how that can affect you — that’s a big thing,” she said.

‘Didn’t feel safe anywhere’: How fears of violence shape life for Detroit youth

2025-07-09T17:50:37+00:00

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Armani Arnold was a 16-year-old Detroit high school student walking home from a bus stop when a man in a car pulled up next to her, catcalling and trying to get her to talk to him.

Arnold ignored the stranger and began walking fast to get away from him. He persisted.

“I’m scared because I have a heavy book bag. I have on a dress and I just — I can’t run,” she told Chalkbeat. She started to cross the street, but he cut her off with his car in the crosswalk. So she pleaded with him.

“I’m only 16,” she said, thinking she was about to be kidnapped. “Please leave me alone. Please don’t hurt me.”

The plea worked, and he left.

Safety is a serious issue for young people in Detroit. Chalkbeat talked to teenagers — and the adults who advocate for and with them — to understand how their daily lives are shaped by such concerns. The possibility of getting attacked on the way to or from school is a constant safety issue in Detroit. But youths also worry about bullying, school shootings, and detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Some youth say walking to and from school and bus stops can make them afraid. This is a city bus stop photographed May 22, 2025 in the Banglatown area of Detroit, Michigan.

Crime rates in Detroit suggest that the city has become a safer place. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of homicides in Detroit dropped 19% — the lowest number since 1965. Rates of nonfatal shootings and carjackings decreased during the same time period by 25% and 15%, respectively.

Although Detroit’s gun violence has declined, school shootings across the country have increased since 2020 — a persistent fear for many students.

While some measures indicate that Detroit is a safer place, the city’s youth consider many factors — not just violence statistics — when describing what makes them feel safe or unsafe.

Fears of violence have likely seemed valid given recent events: A 4-year-old and an 18-year-old were fatally shot last week at a Detroit park, prompting a citywide effort by community violence prevention groups to reach out to youths and get them connected to activities this summer that will keep them busy and safe. Over the weekend, a 15-year-old was killed and his 13-year-old sister was injured in a home shooting. During the annual Ford Fireworks on June 23, a popular event that attracts lots of youth, a dispute fight led to gunfire. And in May, gun shots rang out near King High School on the night of the senior prom, leaving teens dressed in their fancy attire running for cover.

A sense of uncertainty or fear can affect young people in many ways, from mental health and well-being to school attendance and academic performance.

“Those traumas or those fears — those are barriers to learning,” said John Carlson, professor of school psychology at Michigan State University.

“If you can’t even feel safe — that basic need of safety that we all have — then how can we expect you to do something a little bit more complex,” like reaching your academic potential, or being fully engaged in the learning process, he said.

Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools Community District, agreed that feeling unsafe or unsupported can cause “stress, anxiety, and reduced confidence.”

In an emailed statement, Vitti said the school district has students complete a mental health screener, offers mental health services, including access to therapists, ensures schools have guidance counselors, and asks students to take an annual survey to “better understand how students perceive their learning environment.”

When students are safe and supported, “they are more resilient and better positioned to succeed,” he said.

Common stressors for youth, like trauma and feeling unsafe, may be more acute in Detroit than they are in some other areas. “The data clearly show that in urban environments, those stressors are much greater than in rural or suburban communities,” Carlson said.

Armani Arnold poses for a portrait on Thurs., May 29, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

On the day Arnold was harassed, she was simply trying to get home from a day spent learning at Cass Technical High School.

The Detroit school district doesn’t provide school bus transportation for most high school students (students with disabilities are among the exceptions). Instead, it pays for bus cards to take city buses. Her city bus route was out of service that day, so she took another one home.

When she made it home, she told her guardian what happened.

“She basically blamed me … she said, well, that’s what you get for taking that route home,” Arnold said. She felt like no one cared about her.

That lack of support is part of the reason Arnold, now 23, serves on the Youth Action Board for the Detroit Phoenix Center, an organization that provides programs and services for youths in the city experiencing homelessness, as Arnold once did. She wants them to have the support she lacked.

Students learn to assess unsafe situations

For years, students in Detroit have had to deal with dangerous commutes to school.

Calvin Colbert, executive director of Detroit Impact, started a Safe Routes to School program in 1995 in which community members monitored kids on their way to and from school. The program, which succeeded in reducing violence, became a model for a similar federal program. But its funding eventually dried up, Colbert said.

“Everybody felt like, ‘well, it’s over,’” he said. “No, the intensity of it may be over, but the existence of violence is still there.”

Colbert said sexual predators pose a threat to students trying to get to school.

“What they do in the early mornings — they scour the bus stops. They identify students who catch the bus. They follow them. They become aware of them,” he said.

Although she could walk to the School at Marygrove, Malaya Ramsey gets a ride from her mother to avoid unwanted attention from men.

“I’m a 15-year-old with a more mature body. So when I go into the outside world, it be like men trying to talk to me and stuff like that,” she said.

Some students carry pepper spray and personal alarms to protect themselves on the bus or walk to school. They make a point not to talk to strangers on public transportation.

“There’s a lot of things happening right now in the world. … People go missing, or somebody can just do something to you at any point if you’re alone,” said Dulce Bravo, 18, who graduated from Western International High School this spring. She carries pepper spray and a personal safety alarm.

“I didn’t feel safe anywhere, or I would always have to keep an eye out,” she said.

Having to be so aware of her surroundings used to weigh on her. But, she said, it doesn’t bother her as much anymore. “As time is going on, I think I’m just starting to accept the fact that things do happen.”

Crime rates in Detroit suggest the city has become a safer place. But youths interviewed by Chalkbeat say they routinely worry about safety, at school and in the community.

School security measures don’t make all students feel safe – and the effects of trauma linger

Schools’ security practices vary widely. Some have metal detectors, security guards, and locked doors, but they may not make students feel safer.

Some students said their peers, or even strangers, can get around the metal detector — their security guard isn’t adequately equipped or trained to protect them.

At one school without metal detectors, students reported that teens from a rival school have come in and started fights.

Other students were concerned that their schools’ active shooter drills or fire drills haven’t gone smoothly — and some students don’t take the drills seriously.

When fights and conflicts break out, multiple youth said they’d like to see teachers and administrators get more involved in resolving the problems. Sitting down with the students involved helps sometimes, but “some are more mature than others,” said Ja’Nya Street, 16, a student at the School at Marygrove. Sometimes, the bullying doesn’t stop.

Teachers “tell us to ignore it, ignore it, ignore it until somebody — sometimes people just reach their breaking point,” Street said. “Check up on the incident that happened … don’t just tell them to ignore it and just act like it’s nothing anymore.”

Tiarra Hall, 18, who graduated from WAY Academy West Campus this spring, is a safety ambassador with Detroit Impact. She said fights are the most common safety problem that comes up in her work with the organization.

Detroit Impact helps youth “stay calm in a situation that might disrupt their future,” Hall said. “We’re trying to help them with resolving their issues without beating each other up, and giving them ways to resolve their anger without hurting themselves or people around them.”

When conflicts arise, “they just go to whatever seems the most convenient, and in those cases, it’s physical violence,” she said.

Situations that make youth feel unsafe can cause lasting trauma.

Responses to trauma can be cognitive, psychological, or behavioral — and “our emotional responses can wax and wane,” Carlson, the MSU professor, said. “When we get support, we can have improvement. But it doesn’t mean that we don’t have something arise in our life two months later that brings us right back to that traumatic experience.”

And if someone keeps experiencing the stressor, their responses to it can accumulate, so “it doesn’t make it easier the next time, it actually makes it worse,” Carlson said.

For that reason, continuous monitoring of youth who need support should become a natural part of procedural safety processes, he said.

Some young people in Detroit aren’t safe at home or face homelessness

As a child, Alexis Escoto, 23, a member of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners Youth Advisory Panel, dealt with violence at home because of a family member’s drug problem. And one of his cousins was killed in a drive-by shooting.

Alexis Escoto, 23, poses for a portrait on Fri., May 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Escoto said those traumatic experiences caused him to withdraw. He started skipping school and acting out enough that his teachers would kick him out of class.

“I didn’t want to talk to no one,” he said. “I was paranoid. If I talked to someone, I’m afraid they’d hurt me somehow, or I’d hurt them if they pushed my buttons.”

Children and teenagers who live in unstable home conditions or experience homelessness face extra layers of safety concerns.

Some may live in unsafe situations, such as in homes without running water or heat, said Courtney Smith, CEO of Detroit Phoenix Center, which provides housing and mental health resources and other assistance.

Two children who died in February while living in a van drew widespread attention to the dangers for children living unhoused.

Some families also don’t feel comfortable calling the police for a variety of reasons.

With the Trump administration’s widespread efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants, students are concerned about ICE agents coming into schools and communities and taking people away. Escoto said that in his majority-Hispanic community, some people avoid the police because they think they are working with ICE.

When police are around, some youth say they feel more policed than protected, but others want police to be more present in their neighborhoods.

Relationships are key, some advocates say

Even in seemingly safe home situations, youth may feel unsupported.

Many children and teenagers don’t have strong relationships with their parents or guardians, said Camille Hollenquest, 24, executive director of the youth-led organization Detroit Heals Detroit. In those situations, the children “can’t come to you about the things that they’re going through,” they said.

Camille Hollenquest, 25, poses for a portrait on Fri., May 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

“If you’re not actually curious about what their experiences are, other than just, like, how your day is … actually being invested into who they are as people,” that can cause safety issues, they said.

Many organizations around Detroit have built safe spaces for youth, where they can be who they are and get the support they need. Some of the services they provide respond directly to safety concerns. Others have different functions but also give youth access to trusted adults and peers they can connect with.

Darrell Hall, youth director at Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance, said relationship building is key. “You don’t know anything about what safety issues are present if you don’t know the youth,” he said. “How do you build relationships so youth can say, ‘I’m unsafe at home, or when I’m walking down the street by these abandoned houses,’ or whatever it may be?”

Several of the youth included here go or have gone to these organizations for support, but they also give back themselves, to create safe spaces for others.

One way Escoto moved forward from trauma was by leaning into the community advocacy work he’s been doing since high school. Through various organizations, he has worked “to help the community to be more engaged, get the resources they need, and live in a safe, friendly environment,” he said. “I love seeing the younger kids now having a space in the community center to play soccer or make art or do whatever they want in a safe space.”

Sirrita Darby, co-founder of Detroit Heals Detroit, turned over her executive director role to Hollenquest, so the organization is fully youth led. Hollenquest said they appreciate the opportunity “to be able to show up as a young person in these spaces that aren’t traditionally familiar with catering to the voices and the wants and needs of youth.”

“Sometimes you just need to be in a space with other youth to where it’s like, I understand and I hear you, I feel you, as well as making sure that the youth who are in that space — they have the tools to further navigate situations when another young person is coming to them with the heaviness of their experiences,” Hollenquest said. “Until we have that, I don’t know if youth will be able to actually feel safe.

Youth are coming up with solutions to the safety challenges they’ve faced, Smith said. “They’re building food pantries inside of schools, they’re advocating for policy changes. They’re talking with their state legislators,” and in addressing safety issues, “we need to center solutions that are rooted in youth voice and youth power,” she said.

NYC taps recent high school grads as school safety agents. Advocates have concerns.

2025-06-26T20:28:44+00:00

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In a bid to reverse a drop in school safety personnel in recent years, New York City officials are recruiting assistant school safety agents fresh out of high school.

But the hiring process, already stalled nearly two years, is attracting complaints from advocates, who worry about putting teens in that role.

The New York Police Department got the green light to hire 400 assistant agents, young people under 21 who will help existing school safety staff in elementary schools, police officials said during a City Council hearing last month. The move to recruit the agents was first announced in 2023, but the Police Department has been slow to hire any.

The first class of assistant agents is expected to come in July. They will be tasked with answering phones, greeting visitors, monitoring doorbells, and helping identify people “violating New York City Public Schools rules and regulations,” according to the job description. Similar to regular safety agents, the assistants will wear uniforms and will not be armed.

The new hires are eligible as soon as they earn a high school diploma following eight weeks of training, which will include information about restorative justice techniques and responding to children dealing with emotional crises, police officials told City Council. The assistant job will pay $37,399, about $3,000 more than minimum wage (city officials had previously floated a lower starting salary for the role). The assistants are not expected to be placed in middle or high schools.

Recruiting people who may still be teenagers into the ranks of the school safety division has sparked heated debate. Dozens of advocates sent a letter to Mayor Eric Adams and schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos this week and protested outside the Education Department’s Lower Manhattan headquarters, urging them to abandon the decision to hire young people into school safety roles.

“These young adults deserve better employment opportunities and pipelines that don’t lead to poverty wages in high-stress roles for which they will not be properly trained or developmentally prepared,” according to the letter, which was signed by a slew of groups including the Dignity in Schools Campaign, Advocates for Children, and the Alliance for Quality Education.

“Reallocating resources from policing to student-centered supports such as mental health clinics and wellness centers, restorative justice coordinators, and social workers is essential,” they added.

City officials hope the assistant role will create a pipeline to help replenish the ranks of safety agents, which have plummeted 28% over the last five years to just 3,600. The decline has been fueled by high attrition during the pandemic connected to the COVID vaccine mandate, meager pay, and moves by Adams not to restaff the division.

School principals raised alarms earlier this year that the shortage was compromising safety. Many campuses have fewer agents to patrol school grounds during arrival and dismissal when staff say skirmishes are more likely to escalate. At some high schools, there have not been enough agents to operate scanning equipment, forcing students to wait in long lines to get to class.

Kevyn Bowles, the principal of New Bridges Elementary School in Brooklyn, said his campus is supposed to have two agents but routinely only has one. That means there is often no one conducting patrols or perimeter checks around the building. If a safety incident occurs, someone has to scramble to cover the front desk while the agent responds.

As much as he would like additional school safety staff, Bowles said he has some reservations about hiring fresh high school graduates.

“They have to do SOMETHING to solve their staffing crisis,” Bowles wrote. “However, I question whether agents at that age will consistently have the emotional maturity and judgement to respond to conflict and high stress situations in a safe and appropriate way.”

Representatives of the NYPD and Education Department did not respond to requests for comment. The union representing school safety agents declined to comment on the new role.

After this story was first published, City Hall spokesperson Zachary Nosanchuk wrote that “we are expanding school safety resources in direct response to feedback from families and community advocates by creating the new position of assistant school safety agent.” He downplayed critiques of the program, saying they came from a “vocal minority.”

Some school safety agents have previously expressed skepticism that the new assistant role will reverse the staffing decline, given that low wages can be a major barrier.

How to keep schools safe has long been the subject of intense conversation for years. Some critics argue stationing police staff in schools can lead to the criminalization of low-level misconduct, particularly among students of color. Still, large majorities of parents, students, and educators believe the agents help keep schools safe.

Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor, has indicated that he favors expanding mental health support and restorative justice programs rather than hiring more school safety agents. His campaign did not immediately respond to questions about the assistant school safety agent program.

Meanwhile, Andrew Cuomo, who is still mulling a third-party run after conceding the Democratic primary, has said he would increase the number of school safety agents. Jim Walden, who is running as an independent, said he would add school safety agents by increasing their pay and rehiring those who failed to comply with the city’s vaccine mandate. Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, also supports hiring more school safety agents.

This story has been updated with a comment from the mayor’s office.

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

How would NYC’s mayoral candidates respond to the school safety agent shortage?

2025-06-04T19:44:52+00:00

This is part of a series in which Chalkbeat asked the mayoral candidates questions about important education issues that will likely define the next four years. The primary is June 24, with early voting from June 14-22.

Perhaps no issue better reflects the seismic shifts from the last mayoral election to this one in both the state of New York City’s school system and the politics surrounding it than the question of how to keep school safe — and what role NYPD school safety agents should play.

The number of safety agents — uniformed but unarmed NYPD officers stationed at schools — has shrunk from 5,000 during the 2019-2020 school year to 3,600 currently, a drop of roughly 28%.

Experts and safety agents say the drop was driven by high attrition and slow hiring during the pandemic, and a starting annual pay of roughly $37,000, which makes it difficult to recruit.

The steep drop is concerning to many principals, who rarely have enough staff to patrol campus perimeters during arrival and drop-off, which can be potentially problematic during transitional times. Those who run schools with metal detectors have students waiting in long lines to get into their buildings when there’s not enough staff to run the scanning machines.

Last mayoral election, the city was still in the midst of a plan hatched during the George Floyd racial justice protests of 2020 to shift the school safety division from NYPD supervision to the Education Department. Multiple candidates explicitly backed the idea of shifting financial resources away from the NYPD and redirecting them toward mental health and other types of student support.

And while the public conversation around systemic reform to the city’s school safety apparatus has faded, some critics of the system see the declining headcount as an opportunity to embrace approaches to school safety less reliant on police.

Chalkbeat asked the leading candidates how they would address the staffing shortage as part of a questionnaire on March 25 to find out their views on seven pressing issues. A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said he declined to participate since he isn’t in the primary.

Here’s what they told us about their approach to school safety.

Responses may have been edited for formatting or trimmed for length, but otherwise each candidate’s answers are as submitted, including hyperlinks.

Denver Public Schools asks court to dismiss lawsuits by East High deans shot by student in 2023

2025-06-03T22:07:58+00:00

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Denver Public Schools has asked a federal court to dismiss two separate lawsuits filed by former deans at East High School who were shot and injured by a student two years ago.

The lawsuits filed by Eric Sinclair and Wayne Mason provide more details about the March 2023 shooting and about the shooter, a 17-year-old student who later took his own life. The lawsuits also slam the school district for what they claim was a preventable tragedy.

“The District’s and the Board’s systemic failures created a dangerous situation where it was not only foreseeable, but almost inevitable that at some point a student would shoot a member of East High School’s faculty or staff,” one lawsuit says.

But in a pair of responses filed last month, DPS argues that “while some risk may have been foreseeable,” the student’s history with guns and a previous gun-related school expulsion didn’t suggest that any risk was immediate, and therefore, DPS can’t be held legally liable.

“The student made no specific threat, nor did he indicate he intended to act violently towards (the deans) or anyone else at the school,” lawyers for DPS wrote in one of its responses.

The deans’ lawsuits were filed by two separate law firms and take slightly different approaches, but their main argument is similar: that DPS’ safety policies and practices were too lax.

Dean Wayne Mason says there were ‘red flags’ before East High shooting

Mason’s lawsuit argues that DPS knew the shooter, Austin Lyle, “had an affinity for guns and ammunition” and had been expelled from the Cherry Creek School District’s Overland High School in Aurora “for trying to sell an AR-15 gun and ammunition on school grounds” in 2021.

In January 2023, Lyle enrolled at East High because he was living in the school’s boundary. Shortly thereafter, East High put Lyle on a safety plan that required him to verbally check in with an assistant principal before his first class each day, Mason’s lawsuit says.

In early March 2023, other students reported that Lyle had “removed a gun from his backpack and placed it into his pocket while attending class,” Mason’s lawsuit says. When East High staff tried to search Lyle, he fled the school, according to the lawsuit.

Instead of expelling Lyle for having a gun on campus, East High modified his safety plan to require an assistant principal to search him each morning, Mason’s lawsuit says. That assistant principal, Shawne Anderson, later told Denver police that “he was unsure whether he had received any training on how to search students,” the lawsuit says.

A few weeks later, Mason was at East High’s front desk when Lyle walked in and asked to speak with Anderson, the lawsuit says. Mason radioed for Anderson, but he didn’t answer.

Fellow dean Sinclair offered to take Lyle to the dean’s office to wait, Mason’s lawsuit says. Moments later, Sinclair yelled, “Wayne! Wayne! Help me! Help me!” the lawsuit says.

Mason ran into the room and found Sinclar wrestling with Lyle, Mason’s lawsuit says. Lyle shot Sinclar in the chest, abdomen, and leg before twice shooting Mason point-blank in the chest.

“If East High School administration had proper training and adequate policies/protocols, they would have prevented Mr. Mason’s constitutional injuries by keeping (Lyle) outside the school building until properly searched,” Mason’s lawsuit says.

Sinclair’s lawsuit focuses more on DPS’ discipline system, which it argues was “unclear and inconsistently applied.”

The lawsuit alleges that district officials “actively obstructed” East High from expelling students who “presented a danger” to the school. It also alleges that DPS refused to reverse a 2020 decision by the school board to remove armed school police officers from schools even after “the number of guns seized in the District increased five-fold.”

While DPS’ goal of reducing the number of students involved in the criminal justice system “was laudable,” Sinclair’s lawsuit says, “the Board did not provide faculty and staff with the resources, training, and tools necessary to keep people safe while at school.”

As a result, the lawsuit alleges that DPS “placed Mr. Sinclair into an impossible situation: alone in a room, unarmed, confronting an agitated, volatile, and dangerous teenager with a gun and, a few yards away, hundreds of other kids attending a school assembly.

“This predictably resulted in Mr. Sinclair being shot by the student.”

Sinclair’s lawsuit also acknowledges that Lyle took his own life, resulting in “an obviously gifted but immature and volatile young man dead.”

In its responses to both lawsuits, DPS argues that it did take “affirmative steps” to keep students and staff safe, such as by requiring Lyle to be searched each morning.

“This process represented an effort by the Defendants to address the actual risk known to them,” DPS’s response says. The district also argues that “there are no facts alleged” that Lyle “had any propensity to use a firearm,” even though officials knew he’d possessed one.

Furthermore, the removal of armed police officers from Denver schools and Lyle’s gun-related expulsion in Aurora occurred years before the shooting at East High, DPS argues.

“This does not, as a matter of law, allege violence was immediate and proximate,” its responses say, referring to the legal standard required for the district to be found liable.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Michigan commission calls for increased funding, efforts to reduce youth suicide

2025-05-02T18:06:48+00:00

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A state commission created in the wake of the 2021 deadly school shooting at Oxford High School has issued a final report that calls for steps to improve school safety, reduce youth suicides, and strengthen the mental health of students and their families.

The School Safety and Mental Health Commission was created in 2022 because of the Oxford shooting, which left four students dead, but also because of the student mental health challenges that soared during the pandemic and continue to be a concern.

Terry Dangerfield, superintendent for Lincoln Park Public Schools in Wayne County, said in a Thursday press release about the report that data shows about 16.5% of children between the ages of 0 and 17 have a diagnosable mental health disorder, and one in five have emotional or behavioral concerns.

“These numbers represent real students in classrooms who are trying to learn while struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or other serious concerns, ” said Dangerfield. Michigan, he said, must invest in mental health resources to ensure students not only succeed academically but are able to “lead healthy, full lives.”

The report, which is dated April 14 but was publicly released Thursday, includes 10 recommendations for policymakers. It comes at a time when Michigan lawmakers have made school safety a priority. In January, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law legislation that would require every public school to have a behavior threat assessment and management team, require the Michigan State Police to create standardized terminology for use during school emergencies, and require the MSP to make training available to schools on how to use threat assessment materials, among other new initiatives.

Lawmakers in the Michigan Legislature are currently weighing additional safety bills that would create a comprehensive “school-community mental health system” and put additional crisis teams in schools.

Here are some of the recommendations. To read the full report and all of its recommendations, go here.

The state must provide consistent funding on a per pupil basis to support schools in ensuring they are provided with the resources needed to support their students.
The state must work with schools to ensure that the true impact of policy changes is understood, because policy changes can create additional burdens for districts and require them to hire additional staff or enter into costly contracts. Michigan schools currently struggle to hire mental health professionals because of shortages.
Minimize risk for suicidal behaviors by promoting safe environments, resiliency, and connectedness. Increase awareness of warning signs, provide opportunities for selective screening of high-risk youth, train on risk assessment and communication strategies for youth at-risk for suicide, and improve referral channels to facilitate care for youth at-risk for suicide in their communities.
Increase and expand access to care to support those at risk of suicide.
Improve suicide prevention training and education for school staff and volunteers.
Continuing to expand the 988 (a suicide and crisis hotline) line’s accessibility, including adding text and chat capabilities, with the aim of reducing youth suicide Michigan.

Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

‘Zero operational X-ray machines’: NYC schools halt pop-up screening as metal detectors break down

2025-04-25T20:12:42+00:00

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New York City’s pop-up school metal detector program, which scans students at random or at schools with security threats, has ground to a halt.

The problem? They have no working scanners.

The Police Department’s School Safety Division typically shows up at three or four different schools each day for random scanning. That unit “has zero operational x-ray machines due to the breakdown of antiquated metal detection equipment,” officials wrote in an emergency request for more scanners. “Therefore, the unannounced scanning unit is unable to provide any scanning whatsoever.”

The Education Department, which contends that metal detectors and X-ray machines are crucial tools to keep students safe, issued an emergency contract to buy 15 new ones for nearly $385,000. That process allows the city to purchase scanners before seeking approval from the city’s Panel for Educational Policy, a 24-member body that typically must vote on contracts.

The new scanners have yet to be delivered, Education Department officials confirmed. They did not say how long the random scanning unit has been in limbo.

“God forbid that there’s an incident and it could have been prevented if we had scanners,” said Greg Faulkner, the chair of the panel. “It’s a big deal to me.”

On top of the mobile scanning unit, 86 New York City public school campuses have permanent metal detectors and X-ray machines students must pass through. The dearth of functioning machinery is affecting those schools too, officials said, as they have no backups if a scanner stops working. Breakdowns on those campuses have led to long lines for students to get to class, principals warned earlier this school year.

The move comes amid broader concerns about school safety that have emerged this year. Roughly 120 school administrators and staffers signed an open letter calling on the city to replace broken scanners and hire more school safety agents, whose ranks have plummeted 28% over the past five years. Those staff are also responsible for operating the scanning equipment.

So far this academic year, school safety staff have confiscated 4,201 weapons and other “dangerous instruments” including 15 firearms, according to Police Department data. That is fewer than the nearly 4,800 items seized during the same period last year, though 11 guns were confiscated.

The data also include items such as tasers and pepper spray that some students carry to protect themselves during their commutes.

It’s unclear whether the decrease in the number of dangerous items found in schools is related to shortages of scanning equipment and staff, students bringing in fewer prohibited items, or other factors.

Deploying metal detectors in city schools has long sparked fierce debate. Some students and advocates say the devices make schools feel less welcoming, though some families say they offer reassurance that their kids are safe on campus.

“There is a lot of sentiment that it contributes to poor attendance and lateness rates,” said Dahlia Diez Chan, a junior at The High School for Language and Diplomacy and non-voting member of the Panel for Educational Policy.

“Decreasing the extent of scanning in schools isn’t about making schools less safe — it’s about decriminalizing schools and treating students the way we deserve,” she added during a panel meeting on Wednesday.

Other panel members were wary of the Education Department’s plan to purchase new scanners as an emergency measure, as aging equipment should be a predictable expense.

“The [Education Department’s] position is these machines that need to be replaced have gotten to the end of their useful life,” Tom Sheppard, a Bronx parent who serves on the panel, said in an interview. “My concern is that this wasn’t an actual emergency.”

Education and Police Department officials did not explain why the city hadn’t foreseen the need for scanners.

“To replace the needed scanners, this was brought to vote as an emergency item, and we are prepared to work to address any questions or concerns ahead of next week’s PEP meeting to maintain this critical service,” Education Department spokesperson Lyle wrote in a statement.

The panel was initially scheduled to vote Wednesday on a retroactive contract to approve the new scanners, but the Education Department abruptly pulled it from the agenda to address questions about the contract, officials said. Smiths Detection, the company that won the contract for new scanners, did not respond to questions.

A new vote is scheduled for April 30.

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Trump signs orders to promote stricter school discipline, end analysis of racial disparities

2025-04-24T00:10:54+00:00

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President Donald Trump signed executive orders Wednesday that aim to promote stricter school discipline and discourage schools from considering whether discipline policies have a greater impact on students of color.

The executive orders target civil rights guidance from the Obama administration that Trump revoked during his first administration and Biden never formally restored. Some school leaders, teachers, and conservative education advocates blamed the Obama-era guidance for deteriorating safety conditions in schools, alleging that administrators let bad behavior slide rather than risk additional scrutiny.

The most recent federal data, from the 2021-22 school year, shows students report fewer assaults and less harassment and bullying than they did a decade ago. Still, a rise in school shootings along with viral videos of vicious assaults have fueled fears about school safety. Two-thirds of schools reported at least one violent incident on campus in the 2021-22 school year.

Under former President Barack Obama, the Education Department warned schools that policies that led to students of certain racial groups being suspended or expelled at much higher rates could be discriminatory. In particular, Black students tend to be suspended at higher rates than other students.

This approach to civil rights enforcement is an example of disparate impact analysis, which considers whether ostensibly race-neutral policies affect certain racial or ethnic groups differently.

The executive orders ban the use of disparate impact analysis in civil rights enforcement and threaten schools with consequences if they use “racial discrimination and preferencing” in school discipline.

They were two of seven education-related executive orders that Trump signed Wednesday afternoon. Other orders encourage schools to train students to use artificial intelligence, pledge to expand apprenticeships, promote historically Black colleges and universities, and target the university accreditation process.

During the ceremony, Trump said the school discipline executive order was especially important to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and handed her the signed copy to hold.

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, schools were forced to consider equity and inclusion when imposing discipline,” McMahon said in a statement. “Their policies placed racial equity quotas over student safety — encouraging schools to turn a blind eye to poor or violent behavior in the name of inclusion.”

“Disciplinary decisions,” she wrote, “should be based solely on students’ behavior and actions.”

The school discipline order requires federal officials to issue new guidance to state education agencies and school districts. It also calls for federal officials to author a report analyzing “DEI-based school discipline and its consequences” with strategies for how the federal government can ensure its dollars do not support “racially preferential policies” such as model school discipline policies.

The report should include information about the status of “discriminatory-equity-ideology-based school discipline and behavior modification techniques in American public education,” the order says, as well as information about nonprofits promoting such approaches with support from federal grants.

The order does not call out particular practices, such as restorative justice, by name, and it is not clear what discipline practices federal officials might consider discriminatory.

Trump’s first education secretary, Betsy DeVos, rescinded the Obama-era guidance after much public debate and attempts to link less harsh school discipline to school shootings.

That guidance led students to be “disciplined differently depending on their race, and some students who should have been suspended or expelled for dangerous behavior remained in the classroom,” the Trump administration said in a fact sheet.

President Joe Biden promised to reinstate the Obama-era school discipline guidance on the campaign trail, but that never came to fruition. In 2022, his education secretary, Miguel Cardona, did call for reduced suspensions and expulsions for students with disabilities — and there is some overlap as Black children with disabilities are more likely to face harsher discipline at school — but his focus was less on race.

Still, the Trump administration said the Biden administration used Title VI, a civil rights law that prohibits racial discrimination in schools and other federally funded activities, “to promote a DEI approach to school discipline, which makes schools less safe.”

Trump was joined at the signing ceremony by Annette Albright, a North Carolina educator who suffered a concussion and other injuries in 2016 after she was assaulted by students who had recently returned to her school from an alternative school.

In the aftermath of the assault, Albright campaigned for stricter penalties and alternative educational settings for students with a record of behavioral problems. She said administrators sometimes cover up violent incidents to avoid making tough decisions or drawing scrutiny.

“This is very important and critical legislation that we have to keep our educators safe,” she said. “We have to keep our students safe, and public schools have to be safe environments.”

School discipline wasn’t a big issue for Trump on the campaign trail, though some Republican state lawmakers have pushed for stricter school discipline following the pandemic, sometimes with Democratic lawmakers’ support.

Many states and schools saw a dramatic drop in suspensions and expulsions when lots of students learned remotely or maintained physical distance from one another during the pandemic. But as students returned to in-person learning, often lacking social skills or with new trauma, some places saw an increase in students acting out.

The executive order banning disparate impact considerations would require U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to repeal or amend all civil rights regulations that take into account disparate impact. Where the law requires the consideration of disparate impact, agency heads should deprioritize enforcement.

A White House fact sheet says that looking at different impacts on different racial groups — rather than discriminatory intent — “violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equal treatment for all by requiring race-oriented policies and practices to rebalance outcomes along racial lines.”

This has been a major point of disagreement between progressives and conservatives when it comes to civil rights enforcement.

These orders come as the Trump administration is also pressuring schools to abandon policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The administration has demanded that states sign new certifications that they are complying with an interpretation of civil rights law that sees initiatives, such as trying to hire more teachers of color or offering mentorship to students of color as potentially discriminatory. Those that don’t sign risk their federal funding, administration officials have said.

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor based in Colorado. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

Kalyn Belsha is a senior national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

What do New Yorkers want from education news? Here’s what a new survey tells us.

2025-03-27T20:30:39+00:00

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More coverage of school safety. Stories about what students are really learning in the classroom. And less focus on the most politically fraught topics in education.

That’s what New Yorkers indicated they wanted from their education news in a survey conducted last December for Civic News Company, Chalkbeat’s parent organization. The poll asked New York City residents how they consumed news, what they needed from education coverage in the city, and about the different ways they showed up for their communities as parents, advocates, and citizens.

Here are a few key takeaways.

1. Local news really matters — and for parents, education news is especially important.

The survey asked New Yorkers how important information about a range of local topics – from politics to transportation and emergencies – was to their daily lives. In almost every category, most respondents said that information was somewhat or very important. (The only category to rate fairly low in importance? Local sports.)

Local education news was on the lower side, with 74% of overall respondents saying that kind of information was somewhat or very important to them. But that obscures how critical parents say that information is to them: Of those surveyed who identified as parents, 95% of them told us that getting information about local education, including about school programs and school quality, was somewhat or very important.

2. School safety, curriculum issues, and student performance are especially important to many New Yorkers.

So what kind of education news are New Yorkers looking for?

Parents, teachers, and those who have made an effort to effect change in local or state education were asked to name what issues matter most to them. The safety of schools, the content students are taught, and student academic performance rose to the top in importance. Upcoming events and local school council elections were least likely to be named as the most pressing issues.

3. But satisfaction with education coverage varies.

Despite their interest in education, New Yorkers aren’t always satisfied with the information they are finding. Overall, New Yorkers were less satisfied with information they receive about education than other topics, including weather and transportation. Less than 50% of respondents said they were even “somewhat” satisfied with local education information.

Still, New Yorkers surveyed showed relatively high satisfaction with coverage of certain key topics. Those included school calendars – a popular topic at Chalkbeat – as well as upcoming school events, and, to a lesser extent, academic performance.

Information about school council elections and educational disparities was lacking, the respondents said, with only 20% and 19% satisfaction rates, respectively. These findings were of particular interest to us at Chalkbeat, where we often highlight how racial, economic, and other disparities show up in New York City’s public schools.

Recent Chalkbeat coverage of the city’s low-turnout Community Education Council elections — just 2% of eligible parents voted in the last election — led to a probe by the comptroller’s office and highlighted the need for increased outreach. (Here’s the latest on this year’s education council elections.)

One area that many respondents said in written responses they wanted covered less: political and cultural debates around diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as transgender students’ rights. This sentiment came from New Yorkers on all sides of these issues.

4. Word of mouth really matters – as do Parent Teacher Associations.

Asked where they turn for quality information, New Yorkers told us they look most often to friends, family, and colleagues. Local digital news outlets ranked second, tied with online search and local TV stations.

The trend holds for education information. New Yorkers consistently turn to personal networks for their information. And compared to respondents nationwide, they were less likely to cite local schools, districts, and local TV stations as sources. But New Yorkers set themselves apart in another way: They were much more likely to cite their PTAs or parent associations as a source for local education news.

5. Involvement in education is low.

New Yorkers are interested in civic issues – but not always moved to participate, the survey found. A little under half of respondents in New York City reported getting involved in local or state education, such as talking to a member of the community about an education issue or participating in a school board. And only 9% described themselves as advocating and working for improvements.

No surprise here: Educators were a bit more likely than respondents overall to say they are civically engaged and had volunteered, contacted an elected official, or organized in their community in the last year.

This survey, part of an effort called the Civic Information Needs Census, was conducted online Dec. 9-20, 2024 by EMBOLD, a nonpartisan research company. It surveyed 1,428 adults in New York City, oversampling parents and educators, and had a 3% margin of error.

Sarah Darville is Chalkbeat’s editor in chief.

Secure vestibule at Denver’s East High criticized as ‘illusion of safety’ has been put on hold

2025-03-26T21:49:30+00:00

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Keegan Hoelscher was at an assembly in the auditorium of East High School two years ago when a fellow student shot and injured two deans, a tragic incident that reignited a debate about school safety in Denver and led to big changes, including the reintroduction of school police.

But Hoelscher doesn’t necessarily think East High is unsafe. And he definitely doesn’t think that a proposal to install a secure vestibule will make the school safer. The proposal calls for building an enclosed entryway with a desk and a transaction window where visitors — and possibly some students who’ve been flagged as a safety risk — could be screened.

“It’s mainly just security theater,” said Hoelscher, a junior at the school.

The plan has sparked significant pushback from students, staff, and alumni at the city’s largest and most storied high school. They question the effectiveness of a secure vestibule and balk at its $800,000 price tag. Some are also concerned that the installation will do irreversible damage to East High’s “great hall,” the nickname for the expansive foyer whose walls are lined with gray marble that dates back to the school’s construction in 1925.

“It’ll deface the building,” said Marcia Goldstein, a 1969 graduate who helped found the school’s alumni association and nominated East to become a historic Denver landmark in 1991, around the time her daughters were students there. “It will just be a disaster. It’s okay if it’s a disaster if it serves a good purpose, but it’s not going to serve the purpose that is intended.”

Staff members exit through the front doors of East High School on a March afternoon.

Construction was supposed to start this week, when Denver Public Schools is on spring break, with the bulk of the installation occurring over the summer. But opposition to the project grew so loud that the district is now putting it on hold.

“We understand that the community wishes to provide additional feedback,” said Greg Cazzell, chief of the district’s climate and safety department. “And we’re going to give them an opportunity to hear from them and show them the plans and give more understanding of what the intent of the secure vestibule is and what it looks like.”

As for whether it’s possible that plans for the secure vestibule will be scrapped altogether, Cazzell said, “I would not say that.”

Secure vestibules aren’t controversial at other schools

Secure vestibules are a common safety feature in newer school buildings, and many school districts nationwide are retrofitting older buildings with them as well, school safety experts said. While the vestibules may be best practice, experts acknowledged they’re not a cure-all.

“Should every school have a secure vestibule? Yes,” said Ben Crum, a security specialist who serves on the advisory council for an organization called the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools. But, Crum said, “that’s not going to prevent everything.”

Secure vestibules are most effective at stopping outsiders — visitors, strangers, parents in the midst of child custody disputes — from coming into schools without being screened, experts said. They are less effective at stopping students and staff who are supposed to be there. But experts said vestibules can delay even a student or staff member from doing harm.

“In the security world, we’re trying to buy time to respond to the threat,” Crum said.

A rendering of the proposed secure vestibule at Denver's East High School.

Some Denver school buildings already have secure vestibules, though district officials did not provide a number. Seventeen more schools are set to get them over the next few years, funded by about $10 million from a $975 million bond measure passed by Denver voters in November.

East High is not among the 17 schools. East’s secure vestibule would be funded by a different pot of money: extra dollars, known as bond premium, from an earlier bond measure approved by Denver voters in 2020. Secure vestibules weren’t initially part of the 2020 bond. But both the district’s bond oversight committee and the Denver school board agreed in early 2024 to spend bond premium dollars on a secure vestibule at East High.

Vernon Jones, who serves on the bond oversight committee, said gun violence in and around East High was “front of mind” when the committee made that decision.

Several shootings had occurred the previous school year. In September 2022, a student was shot and injured outside a recreation center next to the school. In February 2023, another student was shot and killed while sitting in his car outside the school. And a month later, yet another student shot and injured two deans inside the school and later took his own life.

The shootings led to student protests, the formation of a parent advocacy group, calls for the school board to resign, the reintroduction of school police, and the development of a long-term safety plan for the entire district.

“We have heard a lot … during my time on the board — and prior to that — about ensuring greater physical safety in our schools,” said Denver school board member Scott Esserman, who was elected in 2021 and also serves on the bond oversight committee. But, he said, he’s heard no pushback on secure vestibules at any other schools that are set to get one.

“There are layers to safety and security, and this is one of those,” Esserman said of secure vestibules. “And it’s going to look different at different buildings.”

Denver’s Thomas Jefferson High School has had a secure vestibule for the past five years. Principal Mike Christoff said the idea came from the school community.

“It felt like we could do better,” Christoff said. “It’s unfortunately the reality of our society.”

The secure vestibule at Thomas Jefferson looks like a long and skinny foyer just inside the front doors. A staff member sits behind a glass bank teller-style window, monitoring who goes in and out. Building a secure vestibule onto the utilitarian 1960s-era school building was expensive but not complicated, Christoff said, and it hasn’t been controversial.

A staff member sits behind a glass window in the secure vestibule at Denver's Thomas Jefferson High School.

But everyone agrees that East — with its historic building, famous alumni, and more than its fair share of children of the city’s powerbrokers — is different, both logistically and politically.

“There’s no more important building in Denver for me than East High School,” said James Mejia, a former school board member and one-time mayoral candidate who has held a string of high-profile jobs in the city and is now chief strategy officer at Metropolitan State University. Mejia graduated from East in 1985 and one of his daughters is currently a sophomore.

He opposes the vestibule, both because he doubts its effectiveness and because the East High community wasn’t asked what they think.

“This is a school that takes community input and stakeholder input more seriously than any other place I’ve been associated with,” Mejia said. “Not having a process like that at East High School is falling well short of expectations and good planning.”

‘It’s the people that make us feel safe’

Abigail Forsberg first heard about the secure vestibule during a student council meeting last school year. She thought it was a bad idea, but it seemed like a far-off proposal. Then, two months ago, she heard that “it was almost 100%” going to happen.

Forsberg, a sophomore, sprung into action. She and other student council members began circulating a petition asking the district to stop the vestibule. They passed it around in their classes, posted about it on Instagram, and walked up and down the City Park Esplanade in front of East, asking parents idling in their cars at school pickup time to sign it. Forsberg estimates they already have collected close to 1,000 signatures.

Forsberg also signed up for public comment at a Denver school board meeting this month, where she called the proposed secure vestibule an “illusion of safety.”

East has more than a dozen other entrances, Forsberg and others said. While locked from the outside, the doors are often propped open by students who let their friends in or hold the door for strangers walking behind them. When Forsberg is outside at soccer practice, she said she sees ground-floor windows big enough to jump through hanging wide open.

East also already has cameras and a buzzer at the front doors, as well as a manned security desk that runs visitors’ driver’s licenses through a digital system to check for red flags. It has several unarmed campus security officers and two armed city police officers stationed in the building.

“I don’t think it’s the things that we build that make us feel safe,” Forsberg said. “It’s the people that make us feel safe.”

A secure vestibule, she said, is “not going to make anyone feel safer. It’s going to make it look like the district tried.”

East High School has added a manned security desk, at left, to its front foyer, which some alumni call the great hall.

It could also alter a space that many students and alumni hold dear. The wide-open foyer has served as a meeting spot for generations of students, alumni said. The school choir hosts performances there, and it’s the site of a winter dance known as the Snow Ball. Student clubs put on a yearly fashion show featuring outfits made of recyclable materials and use the foyer as a runway, students said.

“It’s lazy on behalf of the district to just do a cookie-cutter approach, and for every school in every neighborhood to do a vestibule, because that’s the easiest thing to do,” said Sheila MacDonald, a 1983 East graduate. MacDonald said she heard about the vestibule because she was at the school making arrangements for an alumni association scholarship event when district staff came in and began talking to each other about which walls to “blow out.”

District officials now insist no walls will be blown out — not now, and maybe not ever if they can install the secure vestibule in a way that doesn’t damage the historic marble. A community meeting about the plan was scheduled for mid-March but then canceled when school board members couldn’t make it. Then, last week, district Superintendent Alex Marrero sent a letter to East families and staff saying that the project would be put “on hold for now.”

“Doing so will allow valuable time to better engage with your community, provide for the refinement of the school’s comprehensive safety strategy, all with the goal of project implementation in the summer of 2026 as part of our comprehensive plan,” Marrero wrote.

The district is working to reschedule the community meeting, officials said.

When she heard of the project’s postponement, Forsberg was in a meeting with Denver school board President Carrie Olson and fellow student council members.

“We’re really glad that we got enough community members to be invested in it and postpone it,” Forsberg said. “We have more time to tell the district that East doesn’t want this.”

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

NYC’s school safety force has shrunk by nearly a third. Principals are raising alarms.

2025-03-10T22:50:05+00:00

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As Principal Mark House greeted students at the John F. Kennedy campus in the Bronx last month, a student staggered toward him, face covered in blood.

Initially, House thought the 16-year-old had been in an accident and started escorting him to the on-site health clinic. But on the way there, the student collapsed. It turned out he had been stabbed.

In past years, school safety agents patrolled near the site of the attack, a stone’s throw from the school entrance. But no one was stationed outside that morning due to a significant decline in agents assigned to the complex.

The campus once had upwards of 20 school safety agents. Now it typically has 10 or fewer, House said. He believes the presence of an agent could have helped.

“It’s a question of prevention. If an adult is standing there in an NYPD uniform, there is a much lower probability that the violent incident happens,” said House, a veteran principal who leads Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy, one of seven schools serving a combined 2,400 students in Kingsbridge’s JFK campus.

A profound change has quietly taken root in the city’s school safety system in recent years, and the situation at the JFK campus vividly illustrates the fallout many school leaders fear it’s causing.

The number of school safety agents — unarmed but uniformed New York Police Department employees stationed at schools — has plunged from about 5,000 to 3,600 over the past five years, a roughly 28% drop, according to data from the Independent Budget Office and NYPD. K-12 enrollment shrunk by 11% during the same period.

The declines have been driven by various factors: high attrition during the pandemic fueled by the COVID vaccine mandate, slow hiring in recent years, and a $37,000 annual starting salary.

Large high school campuses like JFK that depend on safety agents to operate metal detectors have been hardest hit, as they often do not have enough staff to run the machines, making students late for class as they snake through long lines during arrival.

School leaders have raised alarms about the issue. Some campuses have seen their rosters of school safety agents cut by half or more in recent years, according to more than 120 school administrators and staffers who signed an open letter to NYPD and Education Department officials in November calling on the city to hire additional agents and replace broken scanners.

The shortage of agents makes it harder to keep campuses open on nights and weekends for extracurricular activities, since agents are often required to be on site, school leaders said. And there are rarely enough agents available to do perimeter patrols that used to be commonplace during arrival and dismissal.

Some principals said they don’t have enough excess school staff to help monitor those transitions, and even if they did, the staffers don’t have the training to respond to a violent incident.

At the JFK campus, city officials reacted to the stabbing by adding about five additional agents, House said. And while the student who was attacked is recovering, the incident left the community shaken.

“It’s devastating,” House said. “To have [a student] bleeding in your arms is pretty awful.”

Fears of a looming school safety crisis

While the ranks of safety agents shrunk during the pandemic, the number of weapons showing up at schoolhouse doors surged — with students often reporting that they’re trying to protect themselves on their commutes. That’s created a daunting safety challenge for many schools.

Some principals fear the decline in safety agents may snowball into a broader crisis.

Other educators and advocates, however, see the reduced police presence as a step in the right direction after warning for years about school police criminalizing minor misbehavior, particularly among Black and Latino children. On certain campuses, school leaders partner with community organizations whose staff help supervise dismissal and defuse conflicts rather than relying solely on safety agents.

“Politicians and school leaders have chosen to harden schools for over 40 years, and it just doesn’t work,” said Andrea Ortiz, from the Dignity in Schools coalition, which opposes NYPD and metal detectors in schools. Ortiz supports hiring more staff to help with safety during arrival and dismissal — though not NYPD employees.

Large high school campuses like JFK, pictured here, have been hardest hit by the school safety agent shortage.

But even as some school administrators are open to alternatives to safety agents, many are frustrated that there has not been a systemic response to the shortage.

Neither the Education Department nor the NYPD responded to the November letter about the lack of safety agents, said Michael Barakat, the principal of the Bronx High School for Law and Community Service, one of the letter’s authors.

“The fact that there’s been absolutely no response,” Barakat said, “is alarming.”

Education Department spokesperson Nicole Brownstein did not dispute that the agency had not responded to the letter, noting school safety agents are under the NYPD’s purview.

“We recognize that our city is facing a shortage of school safety agents, and we are continuing to work with our partners at NYPD School Safety to mitigate these issues,” she wrote in an email.

An NYPD spokesperson said the agency is “always ready and willing to recruit for the School Safety Division.” They did not cite any specific efforts to significantly increase the number of agents.

A decline years in the making

The city’s school safety division rivals the size of many other cities’ police forces and has long sparked fierce debate.

Critics note that safety agents often respond to crises better left to counselors. Others counter that large majorities of students, parents, and teachers believe the agents help keep schools safe, though students at predominantly Black campuses are less likely to agree.

Pressure to overhaul school policing reached a boiling point amid the racial justice protests of 2020. Facing calls from progressive lawmakers to reduce the NYPD’s budget, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio planned to move the roughly $400 million school safety division to the Education Department. But de Blasio slow-walked the transfer, and Mayor Eric Adams abandoned it.

In the meantime, the school safety force continued to shrink. Despite his supportive rhetoric, Adams has not taken significant action to restore the number of school safety agents to pre-pandemic levels — and even helped solidify its smaller size.

Hank Sheinkopf, a spokesperson for the school safety agents union, placed the blame for the shrinking numbers on elected officials who have pushed to limit the NYPD’s footprint in schools, including comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

Williams told Chalkbeat he wants a “just transition” to a new system that doesn’t include “letting go of the workforce.” Lander said in a statement that school safety agents’ wages are “far too low and there has not been enough investment into training or maintaining their workforce.”

One veteran school safety agent in the Bronx, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said “many people don’t want to join” the school safety division because of the pay. The NYPD’s recent move to loosen the eligibility requirements for police officers amid a shortage of cops might draw even more people away from the school safety division, the agent said.

NYPD officials announced a plan in 2023 to hire 650 “assistant school safety agents,” a new position with a $33,000 starting salary open to high school graduates 18 and older. The city has yet to hire any, police officials said during a City Council hearing.

School entry wait times balloon

The shortage of school safety agents created a “perfect storm” this fall, said Evan Schwartz, principal of Alfred E. Smith Career and Technical Education High School in the Bronx. Without enough agents to operate the metal detectors, the building sometimes opened late.

“It just backs it up [with] students waiting outside,” Schwartz said, noting the delays eased several weeks into the school year. “If it’s raining, there’s not anywhere for them to be.”

Staffing issues can create additional safety risks by keeping kids clustered outside for longer in big groups.

At the Theodore Roosevelt Campus in the Bronx, which serves 2,500 students, there’s often a line around the block because at least one of the campus’ three scanners isn’t running, said Barakat.

Bashar Assaedi, a 14-year-old freshman at the Bronx Academy for Software Engineering, said it’s frustrating to get marked tardy when “you got to school on time, but metal detectors [that make you] take off your jackets, any keys, any watches, rings” cause delays.

Some educators and students, including Assaedi, would rather get rid of metal detectors altogether, arguing that caring relationships with staff are more effective deterrents against students using weapons in school.

But others, like Barakat, say the machines help keep students out of danger, and school staffers are not allowed to operate them.

Schools experiment with alternative approaches

The steep drop in school safety agents has left administrators confronting difficult questions about how to keep kids safe during arrival and dismissal, when conflicts are most likely to break out.

Some schools have seen promising results by tapping organizations that specialize in violence interruption, where community members are trained to de-escalate conflicts as an alternative to police intervention.

The Spring Creek Community School in Brooklyn’s East New York hired the group Elite Learners through the Education Department’s Project Pivot initiative, which brought community organizations into more than 300 schools for extra support at a cost of $14 million this year.

Employees with Elite Learners help diffuse incidents outside Spring Creek Community School through a city program called Project Pivot.

Elite’s employees typically fan out around the school’s exit and the surrounding blocks, clad in gray jackets with bright orange letters. In one recent instance, a group of men across the street wanted to fight several students, said officials at the Academy of Young Writers, one of the schools in the building. Elite staffers intervened and contacted the police.

“There’s definitely been a decrease in incidents outside of the school,” said Principal Tanisha Brown.

But partnerships like the one at the Spring Creek school are not yet widespread. Just 50 or so of the roughly 320 schools receiving Project Pivot funding are using it for “safe passages” programs, an Education Department spokesperson said.

House, the principal who recently responded to the stabbing, is open to other approaches to school safety. But he said that should be a long-term project that solicits community input, examines what other districts have done, and proposes a clear alternative.

Until that happens, House believes more safety agents are necessary.

Right now, “We’re still playing the ‘if’ game: ‘If we had had somebody here, would that have made a difference?’” House said. “In another year or two, we’re not going to be speculating. We’re going to be drawing straight lines.”

This story has been updated with additional information from a Tuesday City Council hearing.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Privacy or safety? Colorado lawmakers consider reupping prohibition on facial recognition technology in schools.

2025-03-06T01:43:56+00:00

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Colorado lawmakers want to extend a statewide prohibition on facial recognition technology in schools while also placing some guardrails on its use in districts where the technology has been allowed to be used.

Current law says K-12 schools cannot contract with any vendor for facial recognition services unless the contract was in place before Aug. 10, 2022 — or relates to a widely available consumer product such as a smartphone.

Senate Bill 143 mostly extends that provision while also renewing a debate about whether the technology can keep students and schools safe or whether it’s a violation of student privacy.

About 12 districts statewide use the technology and sponsors are working to place some limits on how they use the software, said state Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, an Arvada Democrat.

“We’re trying to find the balance between letting them use the technology, but also protecting students' biometric data,” Daugherty said.

The bill narrowly passed the Senate Education Committee on a 4-3 vote Wednesday and is also sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, House Minority Whip Ryan Armagost, and state Rep. Michael Carter, an Aurora Democrat.

Bill sponsors have amended the bill to help schools that use the technology continue using the software. For instance, amendments list when the technology can be turned on, such as in the case of an emergency or by the request of law enforcement.

School districts reported they use the technology to find students who have left the school building or gone missing, said Greg Miller, Cheyenne Mountain School District executive director of technology.

“We had a child that was in preschool who continually, when walking down the hall with his class, would decide to run out a side door,” Miller said. “With three clicks we could locate his last location.”

Michelle Bourgeois, the St. Vrain Valley Schools' chief technology officer, also testified that the software can cut down on identifying a person from hours to minutes and keep away someone who isn’t supposed to be on campus.

She said the technology isn’t meant to profile students or be used on them.

“As professionals who serve in our schools, we care deeply about both student safety and privacy,” she said. “We’re simply asking for the ability to use modern tools to protect the students in our care.”

Many groups also testified in support of the continued ban out of concern for student privacy.

The ACLU of Colorado testified in favor of the bill, with representatives saying they’d prefer a statewide prohibition. They said the bill strikes a balance.

“Facial recognition poses real risks to privacy,” said Anaya Robinson, the ACLU of Colorado’s senior policy strategist. She added the technology “can easily toe the line between constitutional use and unconstitutional use.”

And Jeffco Public Schools social studies teacher Angie Anderson said she worries about how schools use these systems. Anderson testified in favor of the bill on behalf of the Colorado Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union.

The technology has the potential to create an environment where teachers could perceive schools are spying on them or unfairly target certain students, she said.

“For all its potential benefits, this technology can come equipped with vast potential for abuse,” she said.

The bill will now be heard before the full Senate, and sponsors plan for further amendments for districts that currently use the facial recognition technology after feedback from leaders.

Little tracking, wide variability permeate the teams tasked with stopping school shootings

2025-02-05T18:33:29+00:00

This story originally appeared in KFF Health News and is republished here with permission.

Max Schachter wanted to be close to his son Alex on his birthday, July 9, so he watched old videos of him.

“It put a smile on my face to see him so happy,” Schachter said.

Alex would have turned 21 that day, six years after he and 16 other children and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, were shot and killed by a former student in 2018. In the years before the shooting, that former student had displayed concerning behavior that elicited dozens of calls to 911 and at least two tips to the FBI.

“Alex should still be here today. It’s not fair,” Schachter said.

After two weeks of grieving Alex’s death, Schachter, propelled by anger and pain, began advocating for school safety. In part, he wanted to ensure his three other children would never be harmed in the same way. He joined the newly formed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission to improve the safety and security of Florida’s students. And he launched a nonprofit bearing Alex’s name, which advocates for school safety.

Doing that work, he learned about threat assessment teams, groups of law enforcement and school officials who try to identify potentially dangerous or distressed kids, intervene, and prevent the next school shooting. Florida is one of about 18 states that require schools to have threat assessment and intervention teams; a national survey estimates 85% of public schools have a team assigned to the task.

The teams, whose mission and operational strategies often are based on research from the FBI and the Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center have become more common as the number of school shootings has increased. Despite their prevalence for almost 25 years, some of the teams have developed systemic problems that put them at risk of unfairly labeling and vilifying children.

States vary widely in their requirements of threat assessment teams, and there isn’t a nationwide archetype. Few school districts and states collect data about the teams, little is known about their operations, and research on their effectiveness at thwarting mass shootings and other threats is limited. But a 2021 analysis by the NTAC of 67 plots against K-12 schools found that people “contemplating violence often exhibit observable behaviors, and when community members report these behaviors, the next tragedy can be averted.”

“School shooters have a long thought process. They don’t just snap. They have concerning behavior over time. If we can identify them early, we can intervene,” said Karie Gibson, chief of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Yet, Dewey Cornell, a forensic clinical psychologist who in 2001 developed one of the first sets of guidelines for school threat assessment teams, said there have been problems. In many cases, he said, threats have been deemed not serious “but parents and teachers are so alarmed that it is difficult to assuage their fears. The school community gets in an uproar, and the school administrators feel pressured to expel the student.”

And in other cases, a school doesn’t do a threat assessment and assumes a student is dangerous when somebody else reports them as a threat, and they may take a zero tolerance approach and remove them from the school, said Cornell, the Virgil S. Ward professor of education at the University of Virginia.

Secret Service: Most student threats aren’t credible

A task force convened by the American Psychological Association found little evidence that zero tolerance policies have improved school climate or school safety and said they may create negative mental health outcomes for students. The task force cited examples of students who were expelled for incidents or school rule violations as minor as having a knife in their lunch box for cutting an apple.

Marisa Randazzo, a research psychologist and the director of threat assessment for Georgetown University, said she has also seen “hyperreactions,” especially among school communities that have experienced a mass killing.

“It’s understandable. People who have been close to an event like this are on higher alert than other people,” said Randazzo, who previously worked for the Secret Service and co-founded Sigma Threat Management Associates.

Threat assessments are supposed to be a graduated process calibrated to the seriousness of a problem, since the majority of student threats are not credible and can be resolved through supportive interventions, according to research from the Secret Service.

Stephanie Crawford-Goetz, a school psychologist and the director of mental health for student support services in the Douglas County School District in Colorado, where a shooting occurred at a charter school in 2019, said her district’s threat assessment process emphasizes a proactive, rehabilitative approach to managing potential threats, as the NTAC suggests.

Crawford-Goetz said her district interviews students before convening the team to assess whether a threat is a misguided expression of anger or frustration and if the student has a plan and means to carry out violence.

Students whose threats are deemed transient receive support, such as help with coping skills, and they may meet with a mental health provider.

If the threat is credible, a student may be temporarily removed from the classroom or school.

Randazzo said the vast majority of kids who make threats are suicidal or despondent: “The process is designed primarily to figure out if someone is in crisis and how we can help. It is not designed to be punitive.”

Crawford-Goetz tells parents about her district’s threat assessment team at the beginning of the school year. Some districts report keeping their teams a secret from parents, which is not how they were designed to operate, said Lina Alathari, chief of the NTAC. Her team encourages schools to educate the whole community about the threat assessment process.

Disability may be considered in threat assessment

Some advocacy groups contend that threat assessment teams have perpetuated inequities. There has also been widespread concern that children with disabilities can easily get swept into a threat assessment.

In a 2022 report, the National Disability Rights Network, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., said some threat assessment teams have become “judge, jury, and executioner,” going beyond assessing risk of serious, imminent harm to determining guilt and punishment.

Expanding their scope allows threat assessment teams to get around civil rights protections, the report says.

Cornell disputed the disability rights group’s conclusion. “This has not been corroborated by scientific studies and is speculative,” he said.

Some states, such as Florida, mandate that threat assessment teams determine whether a student’s disability played a role in their behavior and recommend they include special education teachers and other professionals in their evaluation.

In Texas, which has mandated threat assessment teams, a third of students subjected to threat assessments in the Dallas Independent School District receive special education services.

Yet, the district doesn’t have a special education staff representative on its threat assessment team, according to a March 2023 report by Texas Appleseed, a nonprofit public interest justice center.

Many school districts are developing their own models in the absence of national standards for threat assessments.

Florida revamped its threat assessment system in January 2024 to improve response times, provide consistent data collection, and build in more checks and balances and oversight, said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who is also chair of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.

The new model requires the teams to work quickly and file uniform, electronic summary reports of threat assessment findings. Those results follow students throughout their school years.

The adjustments are intended to eliminate the risk of not knowing about a student’s past troubling behavior if they change schools, as occurred with the Parkland shooter and a student who shot and killed classmates at a high school near Winder, Georgia, in September, Gualtieri said.

“As parents, you never stop worrying about your kids,” Schachter said.

Virginia mandates that all public schools and higher education institutions, including colleges, have threat assessment teams. In Florida, where one of Schachter’s daughters attends college, threat assessment teams are mandated in all public schools, including charter schools.

“There’s more work to be done,” Schachter said.

This story was originally published by KFF Health News, Healthbeat’s national reporting partner. Cheryl Platzman Weinstock’s reporting is supported by a grant from the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation.

Healthbeat is a nonprofit newsroom covering public health published by Civic News Company, which also publishes Chalkbeat. Sign up for Healthbeat’s newsletters here.

Youth homicides from gun violence drop in 2024 in Indianapolis

2025-01-27T11:20:00+00:00

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This article was co-reported by Chalkbeat Indiana and Axios Indianapolis as part of a reporting partnership about youth gun violence in Indianapolis.

The number of Indianapolis children lost to gun violence dropped dramatically last year, falling from a recent high of 44 to 17 in 2024.

But while homicides declined for those ages 19 and under — many of them students — the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department recorded a 7% increase in the number of non-fatal shootings among kids, according to the Indianapolis Star.

The trend is one that schools and others who work with youth are still trying to navigate.

Homicide levels dropped simply because kids don’t know how to shoot, said Kareem Hines, founder of the New BOY program that works with young men involved in the justice system. The youth violence situation, he said, is still dire.

“These kids, they’re not shooting to hurt each other, I know that they’re shooting to kill,” he said. “It’s just fortunate that those non-fatal shootings weren’t fatal.”

Last year’s non-fatal shootings included a mass shooting downtown in which seven children were wounded. That incident prompted the city to enforce a curfew for minors — although in the first four months, officers picked up just three kids for violating it.

The year also ended with the stabbing death of an Arsenal Tech High School student just before winter break. (That homicide is not included in year-end figures because it did not involve a gun.)

“As a mother, as an aunt, as a commissioner, and as a community member, I am heartbroken,” IPS Board President Angelia Moore said at a meeting the day after Arsenal Tech freshman Anabel Trujillo was found dead just a few blocks from school. “And I wanted to just make sure that we use our compassion during the season: Remember those parents who will not be able to hug, correct, redirect, or encourage their loved ones, their students, their children.”

Rise in non-fatal shootings among youth is historic

Lauren Magee, assistant professor with the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Indianapolis, has been tracking non-fatal shootings since 2016.

The number of non-fatal shootings among young people has increased since then, according to Magee. She also found that homicide rates among minors in Indianapolis tripled from 2016 to 2023 — and for every homicide, there were three to four non-fatal shootings.

Ralph Durrett Jr., the city’s chief violence prevention officer who started in the role last June, said much of his first few months on the job has been spent connecting with those already working on youth violence.

Some of the city’s best assets, he said, are mentoring programs that work with at-risk youth to teach them skills like conflict resolution and emotional intelligence. But that can’t be the only piece.

“If we’re not focusing in on the environments and the culture that they come from, then we’re missing a primary piece,” said Durrett Jr.

Deandra Staples was the first Indianapolis child lost to gun violence this year when the 14-year-old was found in the snow outside an apartment complex on the city’s southeast side on Jan. 11, according to Fox 59.

Read the Axios Indianapolis story here.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Another fatal Tennessee school shooting puts spotlight on security and gun control

2025-01-23T00:59:53+00:00

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Two more Tennessee students have died by gunfire at school in a state that has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to fortify campuses — and done little to restrict gun access.

Police said a 16-year-old female student at Nashville’s Antioch High School died after being shot Wednesday in the cafeteria by a 17-year-old male student with a handgun, who then shot himself in the head and died. A third student was grazed in the arm during the shooting.

The shooting comes less than two years after a mass shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville prompted the state’s Republican supermajority to invest in more school-based safety officers, security upgrades, and allowing some public school teachers to carry guns.

This year’s legislative agenda, headlined by a special session called by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, is dominated by private school vouchers and enforcement of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

While some Democrats on Wednesday signaled a desire to take up school safety and gun reforms, it was unclear from the initial reaction whether Republicans who have firm control of state government will respond.

The latest shooting happened at approximately 11:09 a.m., prompting a lockdown at the 2,100-student public school in the southeast Nashville neighborhood of Antioch. Students later were transported by bus to a nearby hospital to reunite with their families.

“It is impossibly difficult to be here, once again, dealing with the devastation of gun violence in one of our school communities,” Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said at a news conference outside the school campus.

Tennessee has invested heavily in school security

Lee’s administration mostly sought to fortify school campuses in response to the 2023 shooting by a former student that killed three children and three adults at Nashville’s Covenant School.

The GOP-controlled legislature has rejected efforts by Democrats to tighten the state’s lax gun laws.

In 2023, lawmakers added $144 million annually to the state budget to pay for at least one school-based officer for every public school. Tens of millions of more dollars were invested to help public and private schools make security upgrades and bolster collaboration between schools and state homeland security agents.

Lawmakers in 2024 approved new school fire alarm protocols to take into account active-shooter situations; a pilot program to give teachers wearable alarms; and increased safety training for school bus drivers, among other things.

Their most contentious debate was over a bill to let some public school teachers and staff carry guns under certain circumstances. Ultimately, the measure passed easily despite dramatic protests at the state Capitol by citizens wanting fewer guns in schools, not more. So far, few Tennessee school systems, if any, have sought to pursue that option.

Meanwhile, another 2024 law — to severely punish threats of mass school violence — has resulted in children being kicked out of school and arrested on felony charges, sometimes because of rumors and misunderstandings. The law is being challenged in court by several families who have filed lawsuits questioning its use.

This year, the governor has called the legislature into a special session beginning Jan. 27 to take up “public safety” measures aimed at curbing illegal immigration, a statewide private school voucher proposal, and emergency aid for flood-damaged parts of northeast Tennessee.

But Democrats said Wednesday that immigration and vouchers are distractions from the toll of gun violence on Tennesseans, especially its youngest citizens.

In 2022, firearms were the leading cause of death among the state’s children and teens ages 1-17.

“While we do not yet know all the circumstances of the shooting, we do know that a minor somehow accessed a handgun, walked into his school with that handgun and committed an unspeakable act of violence, ending his own life and the life of an innocent child,” said Rep. John Ray Clemmons, of Nashville, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus.

Antioch is the same neighborhood where Shaundelle Brooks’ son Akilah was killed during a 2018 shooting at a Waffle House restaurant. Brooks, who has become an outspoken advocate for gun control, was elected last fall to represent the area in the state House of Representatives. She was sworn in last week as the legislature convened a new two-year session.

“We are only one week into the start of our legislative session and already our state has been ravaged by another school shooting,” Brooks said Wednesday. “We must do better.”

The governor said on social media that he had been briefed about the shooting and was joining Tennesseans “in praying for the victims, their families & the school community.” Several GOP leaders in the legislature said they were waiting for more details from law enforcement.

States look for ways to protect America’s schools

Other states have taken a variety of approaches to respond to school shootings, often colored by which political party is in power.

Last month in Michigan, lawmakers approved a package of bills aimed at preventing violence in schools in the wake of the 2021 Oxford school shooting that killed four students.

Some of the legislation had bipartisan support, including bills putting more mental health support in place for students and creating standardized terminology for first responders and school staff to use during school emergencies. Others, such as a bill requiring districts to send home information about safe firearm storage, were pushed through by Democrats.

In Georgia, legislators are floating ideas to protect students in response to a mass shooting at high school last September, including revisiting a tax credit for gun safety devices that stalled last year. Other measures are expected to address student mental health and, as in Michigan, better communication between school districts and other government agencies.

The Georgia shooting, in Apalachee, raised major questions about how school systems and law enforcement share information, as well as the poor state of mental health safety nets. The alleged shooter had been investigated previously on suspicion of making online threats. His mother reportedly called the school warning of an “extreme emergency” that morning, but school officials were not able to find the student before the shooting started.

Lawmakers in Texas, another Republican-controlled state, mandated armed guards at every public school, panic buttons in classrooms, more staff training, and additional mental health support for students after the 2022 Uvalde shooting.

Recent school shootings also have focused more attention on how shooters obtain their weapons — studies find that most of them get them at home. Parents faced charges after shootings in Oxford, Michigan, and Apalachee, Georgia.

Nearly all public schools control access to their doors when kids are in the building with measures like locks and monitoring. Many now use a single point of entry. Around 60% of public schools also control access to their grounds when school is in session with barriers like a locked gate.

Around 45% of public schools had an armed police officer or other sworn law enforcement officer present at least once a week during the 2021-22 school year, the most recent federal data shows.

Two armed school resource officers were patrolling Antioch High School in Nashville when Wednesday’s shooting occurred, authorities said. Police said that by the time the two officers arrived at the cafeteria, the shooting was over and the shooter was dead.

The school will be closed for the rest of the week as Metro Nashville Public Schools arranges for grief counseling and other support for students and staff.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

Districts share plans in case immigration officials show up at schools

2025-01-22T00:45:31+00:00

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As reports spread Tuesday that schools are no longer off-limits for immigration enforcement action, school leaders in the Denver metro area had just shared plans for how to respond if immigration agents show up at schools.

DSST, the local charter school network with schools in Denver and Aurora, shared its plan with families last week.

Over the last several weeks, the Denver and Aurora school districts have been sharing information with and training staff on how to respond.

“We’re trying to create an inclusive community,” said Danielle Felder, chief external affairs officer for the DSST network. “We wanted to offer as much reassurance as we can.”

The districts and charter network’s protocols for what to do are similar.

Building leaders are to gather information from agents including asking for a warrant before calling the district’s legal or security teams, or both.

Aurora and Denver’s plans suggest that ICE should wait outside the school. Or, “if it appears the officer is being cooperative, you can ask them to wait in an appropriate area of the front office,” Aurora’s guidance states.

If ICE has a valid judicial warrant, DSST’s plan states that the school hallways will be cleared and the building will be placed on hold, meaning everyone will stay in classrooms until ICE has left the building. Parents of any affected students will be contacted immediately.

“We will not encourage mixed status families or undocumented relatives to come to the school or otherwise interfere,” the plan says.

DSST’s and Denver’s plans remind staff that parents should be encouraged to update their emergency contact information and suggest that emergency contacts include one person who is not an immediate family member.

The school communications to staff and families include resource lists and links to other community organizations, including “Know your rights” booklets and information on how to create a family preparedness plan.

The communications to school leaders from Denver, Aurora, and DSST reiterate that schools cannot and should not be asking about a student or family’s immigration status. Aurora asks staff not to make guesses about which families need resources, either.

Denver’s communication also asks schools to encourage families to opt out of the school’s directory by filling out a form. According to the DPS statement, government agencies can ask for a school’s directory without a warrant or other legal justification.

Felder said that DSST also wanted its plan to reassure its staff, which includes Dreamers and people in the country on visas.

Unlike during the first Trump administration, Felder said school leaders feel more prepared this time.

After Trump took office in 2017, the Aurora school board voted on a resolution that May. Community organizations worked with parents and students to write it and asked the board to adopt it.

That resolution included a request that the district translate a February 2017 memo that outlined how to respond if ICE agents showed up at a school or requested information. The current memo dated Dec. 5, 2024 is an updated version of the 2017 guidance.

The 2017 resolution also asked the district to ensure there is a protocol for supporting students if a parent or caregiver does not show up to pick them up from school for whatever reason and calls on the district to make sure that family contact information is updated every year.

The resolution was meant as a declaration of support for the diverse community in Aurora.

In the current school year, more than 86% of Aurora district students identify as students of color, up from 82% cited in the 2017 resolution, and the district serves more than 40% students learning English as a new language, up from 36% in 2017.

Aurora has been cited as a possible target for early immigration enforcement because of national media attention on crime tied to Venezuelan gang members.

This year, the Aurora school board has been silent. Neither the Denver or Aurora school board has voted on any new resolutions in support of immigrant students or other marginalized students who may have concerns about policy changes during the new presidential administration.

A session at the Colorado Association of School Boards last month prompted school leaders to also think about how they may prepare to serve students and families if a large immigration raid is conducted in the community. Schools have shared little about plans for those scenarios.

Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org.

Philly schools receive $16.7 million for bathroom, roof, other repairs at 7 buildings

2024-12-10T22:27:37+00:00

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Philadelphia schools are getting nearly $17 million from the state to repair and upgrade seven aging buildings, officials announced Tuesday.

The money will pay for everything from fixing bathrooms that don’t work to patching up roofs and auditoriums. It’s part of a statewide $175 million grant program in the 2024-25 state budget for school building upkeep, said state Sen. Vincent Hughes, one of the legislators who fought for the funding.

“Tangible action and financial investments like this signal to young people that they are important,” said Mayor Cherelle Parker at an event held at West Philadelphia’s Martha Washington Elementary School, which was built in 1929. “We can’t have students, teachers and administrators going into buildings with leaking roofs and unreliable bathrooms.”

The investment comes at a time when the district has embarked on a facilities planning process that officials warn could result in the closing of some school buildings, including those that are costly to maintain and under-enrolled — a description that fits Martha Washington, located on 44th street near Lancaster Avenue.

Current enrollment at Martha Washington is just over 200 students, in a building that takes up most of a city block.

Philadelphia’s share of the grant, $16.7 million, will fund eight renovation projects in seven schools, including Martha Washington. Several of the school’s 17 bathrooms are nonfunctioning, said Principal Lakeisha Patrick.

“This is an old building, but a gem in West Philadelphia,” she said, adding that staff and students “deserve a nice environment.”

But the $16.7 million represents a small fraction of the need in Philly: some estimates have put the total cost to repair and upgrade schools anywhere from $5 billion to nearly $10 billion.

State and local governments jointly fund schools’ operating costs along with the federal government. But state aid for capital expenditures like school construction and repair is a separate matter.

The state has a program called PlanCon designed to help school districts fix and modernize school buildings, Hughes said. But funding halted for that program in 2015, even though schools all over the state need help to meet 21st century needs, Hughes said. He described a visit he took with a colleague to a rural school in western Pennsylvania a few years ago that was built during Reconstruction, but is still in use.

“We went into the sub basement, and the backup generator was literally a car engine,” he said.

Students’ lack of access to working, clean, well-stocked bathrooms was also a key issue in Monday’s City Council hearing. Oz Hill, the district’s interim deputy superintendent of operations, told council members the district has eight plumbers servicing over 2,000 school bathrooms.

Other grants will go to bathroom renovations at George W. Childs, window replacements at James G. Blaine, and roof replacements at Cayuga and Francis Hopkinson elementary schools. Edison High School will get nearly $900,000 to upgrade the ventilation system in the culinary section of its career and technical education program.

Nearly half the amount, $8.3 million, will be used to repair the auditorium and the roof at Overbrook High.

In an interview after the event, Hughes acknowledged that the district is in the process of reevaluating its building needs on a path to rightsizing and efficiency. The state facilities grants program “in some respects is a bridge” to the more permanent plan, he said.

School officials on Monday held a virtual public meeting to emphasize the work it is doing to maximize the environmental safety of each school building.

Victoria Flemming, executive director of the district’s office of environmental management and services, and other officials explained how each school building is inspected twice a year, with every room and surface examined for hazards such as friable or loose asbestos, mold, and lead in paint and drinking water.

These inspections comply with the mandates of the federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, known as AHERA, Fleming said. They came up when Philadelphia had to close three schools in early 2023 due to damaged asbestos.

Room-by-room inspection reports for 297 school buildings, some of which run to hundreds of pages, are available for the public to access both online and in paper copies at school offices.

Dale Mezzacappa is a senior writer for Chalkbeat Philadelphia, where she covers K-12 schools and early childhood education in Philadelphia. Contact Dale at dmezzacappa@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee K-12 school building costs escalate amid competing political priorities for education

2024-11-21T01:12:56+00:00

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Tennessee needs to spend about $9.8 billion on repairs, upgrades, or construction to keep its K-12 public school buildings safe and conducive to learning, according to a new state report.

That’s an average of about $6,557 per student over five years, to complement the minimum of $7,075 that Tennessee spends annually per pupil to cover the cost of their education.

And while Tennessee’s nearly 1,700 traditional school campuses are generally in good or excellent condition, the report says more than half of the state’s 95 counties need to prioritize at least one costly capital project for their students, whether it’s building a new school, adding classroom space to an existing campus, or making upgrades across a district — things like new roofs, plumbing, and heating and cooling systems.

The findings, published Wednesday by the education research arm of the state comptroller’s office, aren’t surprising. They’re consistent with previous assessments of the state’s public infrastructure needs, including the most recent inventory conducted in 2022, which ranked education behind transportation and utilities as Tennessee’s costliest needs.

But the latest review by the comptroller’s office, which was requested by House Education Committee Chairman Mark White of Memphis, comes amid competing priorities for educating Tennessee students.

With rising construction costs, momentum has been building among state lawmakers to identify a new revenue source to help local governments and taxpayers shoulder the costs of school maintenance and construction. Those needs escalated in September when flooding from Hurricane Helene caused hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to roads, bridges, utilities, and schools in northeast Tennessee.

But the GOP-controlled legislature, which is responsible for passing an annual state budget, is facing pressure from Republican Gov. Bill Lee to create a statewide school voucher program. Lee’s Education Freedom Act would give tens of millions of dollars in public funding annually to families who want to send their children to private schools.

Lee’s latest private school voucher bill includes proposed new money for public school infrastructure, an attempt to gain support from public school advocates. In addition to giving a one-time bonus of $2,000 for Tennessee’s public school teachers, the bill would redirect 80% of tax revenues from Tennessee’s sports betting industry toward school building needs, especially for emergencies and the nearly 40 rural counties designated as distressed or at risk.

Meanwhile, state economists’ project declining or stagnant revenues next fiscal year, because Lee’s administration pushed through a $1.9 billion tax cut for businesses this spring.

Building needs are acute in Memphis and Nashville

In its separate infrastructure report released in January, the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations identified 18 school buildings, including 11 in Nashville, that are in poor condition.

This week’s comptroller’s report said it would cost $2.3 billion just to upgrade schools from poor or fair condition to good or excellent condition.

The needs are acute in Memphis, which has some of the state’s oldest school buildings. Leaders there are struggling under the weight of a long list of maintenance and construction projects.

While no buildings in Memphis-Shelby County Schools are rated in poor condition, 45 are considered in fair condition. That means they are structurally sound but require maintenance or repairs to meet building code or functional upgrades to improve their use.

In addition, the Memphis district is trying to build two new high schools in Frayser and Cordova, but the $385 million price tag for both projects may put at least one of them in jeopardy.

“We can’t afford two new high schools right now,” school board member Amber Huett-Garcia said Tuesday night during a workshop where Superintendent Marie Feagins fielded questions about their status.

Huett-Garcia said the district is operating in a “fiscally constrained environment” that recently required leaders to reallocate $94 million for operational expenses that originally was intended for school maintenance.

“Our buildings are worsening,” she added, “and so my fear is that we end up with two half-built high schools.”

District seeks a new funding source for infrastructure

Whether it’s air conditioning problems in the summer, heating issues in the winter, or water fountains and intercom systems that don’t work in any season, Memphis school leaders say a new long-term funding source is imperative for addressing those needs.

Next month, the board is expected to include state infrastructure funding among its legislative priorities ahead of the Tennessee General Assembly session that begins Jan. 14 in Nashville.

To help defray school building costs, the board wants lawmakers to look into redirecting revenues from sales, use, and excise taxes; lottery revenue; or proceeds from the sale and use of state lands.

Feagins said Tuesday that her administration recently completed a yearlong, districtwide building assessment, which will be used for prioritizing all future capital projects.

Tennessee doesn’t set aside revenue for school facilities, as five neighbors do

The state already provides some funding for K-12 capital projects, including facility funding for charter schools, infrastructure stipends for fast-growing districts, and grants to improve building security and energy efficiency.

White, the Memphis lawmaker who asked for the comptroller’s review, also requested a rundown of how other states help local governments pay for school building projects.

Analysts cited three main ways: appropriations, financing assistance, and dedicated revenues.

“Tennessee leverages appropriations and financing assistance but does not specifically dedicate revenues to K-12 capital expenditures,” the report said.

Possible revenue sources include sales and use taxes; tax levies on the purchase of alcohol, nicotine products, and marijuana; as well as proceeds from lotteries or use taxes on timber logging, oil and gas extraction, and public land sales.

According to the Education Commission of the States, 19 states dedicate revenues for school-related capital projects. Five of those states — Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia — border Tennessee.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

NYC targets 60 schools for anti-subway surfing efforts as fatalities rise

2024-10-31T22:32:33+00:00

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Amid a string of deaths involving young people riding atop subway cars, New York City officials say they’re ramping up prevention efforts, including a drone program to spot subway surfers on elevated trains.

And the Education Department is spreading anti-subway surfing messages as part of a public awareness campaign, targeting schools near the subway lines where young people have been spotted riding outside or on top of train cars, schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said Thursday.

The efforts come as six young people have been killed in subway surfing incidents so far this year, including multiple fatalities in recent weeks. That’s up from five during all of 2023. One victim earlier this year was 11 years old.

Arrests of young people for subway surfing have spiked 46% so far this year, police statistics show.

Videos of young people subway surfing have taken off on social media and are part of a city lawsuit against companies including TikTok and Instagram. Officials said social media companies agreed to take down some of the videos.

Officials have also ramped up drone flights near some subway lines to spot subway surfers and detain them. During a Thursday press conference in Woodside directly off the No. 7 train, officials played drone footage of young people riding outside trains, noting that they have identified 114 people subway surfing with over 900 drone flights. Most were teens, though officials said they spotted subway surfers as young as 9 years old.

The drones provide video to show families,”so the parents can see firsthand the danger their children are putting themselves in,” interim NYPD Commissioner Thomas Donlon told reporters. “Every injury, every death, is 100% preventable.”

About 60 schools situated near the No. 7 and J, M, Z lines have received anti-subway surfing posters and other materials, Aviles-Ramos said. The Education Department has also partnered with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on a broader public awareness campaign taglined “Ride Inside, Stay Alive” with materials and messages that were designed by students at Manhattan’s High School of Art and Design. About 1,300 students have received more explicit presentations about the dangers of subway surfing from police officials, the schools chief said.

“We are amplifying student voice and peer-to-peer messaging to fight the potentially dangerous effects of peer pressure and social media,” Aviles-Ramos said.

Some experts said the public messaging efforts were a good first step but would likely have minimal impact on young people who are susceptible to peer pressure and are still developing an understanding of how to assess risks.

Kevin Dahill-Fuchel, executive director of Counseling in Schools, which provides mental health services at schools across the city, said students who engage in risky behavior need adults who are drilling down into their motivations and trying to redirect them to another activity that excites them.

“It’s just another manifestation of these kinds of things that kids do when they’re developing their brains and trying to figure out who they are,” Dahill-Fuchel said. He added: “‘Just say no’ doesn’t work so much because you’re not saying what to say ‘yes’ to.”

Some worry the Police Department’s efforts to crack down on subway surfing could be counterproductive, making some students dig in. So far this year, police have arrested 164 children for subway surfing, up from 112 over the same period last year, an NYPD spokesperson wrote in an email. Police officials told reporters that they’ve arrested over 40 people for subway surfing more than once.

Forcing children into counseling may not be an effective strategy, but Dahill-Fuchel wondered if there could be more intentional education programs specifically for young people caught subway surfing rather than leaving it to the police to address.

By tangling up students with the police, he said, “you’re just going to create another level of resistance.”

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

How Biden wants to make active shooter drills less traumatic and more effective for students

2024-10-28T19:57:19+00:00

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Soon after Robert Murtfeld’s child started attending kindergarten, the school had an unannounced lockdown drill.

His child was only five years old and, as Murtfeld remembers, didn’t really understand that it was just a drill, not an actual school shooting. Murtfeld himself was also shocked.

“I joined another parent who, like me, was also raised abroad, and we had an issue with this system at work here,” said Murtfield, who grew up in Germany. “We noticed that many American parents didn’t have that issue necessarily or didn’t think about it.”

So Murtfeld decided to advocate for reforming how schools conduct these exercises. His efforts led to changes at his school, which started letting parents know in advance when the drills would happen and giving them the opportunity to opt their child out of them. His work also affected New York state legislation that now requires schools to notify parents about lockdown drills beforehand, and to conduct them in “a trauma-informed, developmentally and age-appropriate manner.”

Murtfeld has company. As drills and simulations have become increasingly common in American schools and universities, organizations representing school psychologists, law enforcement, and others have lobbied to improve them and reduce their negative effects on students.

Now the federal government’s paying attention too. Last month, President Joe Biden signed an executive order creating a multi-agency effort to develop guidelines and share resources on making active shooter drills safer and more effective.

The initiative resulted from the work of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which the Biden administration created in 2023 and is supervised by Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president.

“As Vice President Harris traveled to meet young leaders around the country, she asked them who had gone through these drills, and every hand in the room was raised, showing that it is a big concern for students,” said Rob Wilcox, the office’s deputy director.

One of the key facets of Biden’s executive order is for the federal government to provide information on “how to prevent or limit trauma or psychological distress associated with active-shooter drills.”

A few groups already have some ideas to share. Organizations like the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the National Association of School Responding Officers (NASRO) have worked together to collect evidence and create guidelines on the best practices. Their cooperation could bear fruit through invigorated federal interest.

Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach, NASP’s director of policy and advocacy, said that the two groups are already reaching out to the agencies responsible for fulfilling the executive order.

“We are very much hoping that whatever the federal government puts out is very much aligned with the guidance that we have been continuing to refine over the last ten years,” said Strobach. “We also certainly hope it is rooted in evidence. Even though there’s still a lack of empirical research on this topic, there is some research that can be referenced.”

How opinions about school lockdown drills changed

Lockdown drills are meant to prepare students for various situations in which a threat is inside the school building — such as active shooter situations.

The likelihood of a student experiencing an active shooter situation remains statistically very low. The opposite is true of lockdown drills: 95.5% of American schools conducted them in the 2021-2022 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

But as drills became more common, reports about their nightmarish depictions of violence in schools emerged as well. Such instances featured the use of gunshot noises, students posing with fake blood as victims, and adults playing the role of assailants.

These dramatic — and potentially traumatic — devices represent an inability to understand the differences between drills, which are supposed to build trust and lower students’ anxiety among students, and simulations, which are high-stress scenarios aimed at preparing law enforcement for situations like those involving active shooters, said Mo Canady, NASRO’s executive director.

Agencies and districts “began to do full-scale situational training in a school environment with students,” said Canady. “As that played out, we began to take a hard look at that and ask ourselves if we were doing the right things, especially with adolescents in the building.”

Despite stories from students and educators, there is not a great deal of evidence about the impacts of procedures like lockdown drills and simulations on the mental health of students. And what research there is does not differentiate between the various drills that can be used or isolate the factors that could contribute to increase anxiety among students, according to Jaclyn Schildkraut, executive director of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium at the State University of New York’s Rockefeller Institute of Government.

There are several studies showing the positive outcomes of performing lockdown drills and discussion-based exercises, like “making students feel more prepared, lowering their anxiety, helping them have lower fear of harm, or be less likely to perceive that a school shooting could happen at their school,” Schildkraut said.

One of these studies found that nearly 87% of junior high and high school students reported feeling more prepared to respond to a violent incident after discussion-based training.

Other research indicates that whatever benefit they may provide to schools to prepare for violent incidents, many students feel lockdown drills themselves are harmful.

The Georgia Institute of Technology’s Social Dynamics and Wellbeing Lab, partnering with the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, analyzed social media conversations related to American schools before and after drills. The latter group is affiliated with Everytown for Gun Safety, which supports an assault weapons ban and other measures to prevent gun violence.

They saw “a 42% increase in anxiety and stress (as evidenced by an increase in such words as afraid, struggling, and nervous) and a 39% increase in depression (evidenced by words such as therapy, cope, irritability, suicidal) following drills,” according to their report, which they originally published in 2020.

Before Biden issued his executive order, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona commissioned the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study about how active shooter drills affect student health and well-being. The study is not done but it could help fulfill the executive order.

Curbing student trauma caused by active shooter drills

Guidance from NASP, NASRO, Sandy Hook Promise, and other organizations gives hints about what may be included in the guidelines Biden’s executive order is seeking.

Those three groups recommend that the drills should be part of a larger strategy for preventing multiple threats.

“It’s important to practice emergency procedures so that in the event of an emergency, it reduces chaos,” said Strobach of the school psychologists group. “But, to do a fire drill, you don’t necessarily start a fire. So, there are ways for schools to prepare for any type of crisis without actually simulating it.”

Specialists interviewed by Chalkbeat agreed that full-scale simulations should not be part of students' routines and that approaches should consider different methods of preparing them for emergency situations.

For example, the guidelines from NASP and NASRO suggest schools use strategies like “discussion-based exercises,” such as workshops and orientations, so students can talk about the drills before experiencing them.

The guidance does not recommend excluding “action-based” exercises but does make some recommendations about them.

One is to conduct walk-throughs, where kids can go through the instructions step-by-step and ask questions as the exercise happens. After kids are prepared for this, the more common lockdown drills would be the next step.

Biden also stressed that he wants to see resources about communicating with students, families, and others “both about the drills and when the drills are happening,” said Wilcox of the White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

The president also wants to ensure the executive order focuses on civil rights laws and special populations, such as students with disabilities, Wilcox noted. Reports have highlighted situations in which drills have failed to consider the needs of children with physical disabilities, for example.

Researchers also point out that drills can have a stronger effect on the emotional health of children that have gone through previous traumas.

But ultimately, what the White House executive order produces will not be mandatory, so it will depend on local leaders to decide to follow the guidelines and use the resources.

“We hope that the information will help leaders from all levels to prevent and eliminate extra trauma and harm on our students,” Wilcox said.

Correction: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Robert Murtfeld‘s name.

Wellington Soares is Chalkbeat’s national education reporting intern based in New York City. Contact Wellington at wsoares@chalkbeat.org.

Rebuilding after Helene and Milton: Educators share experiences from previous disasters

2024-10-16T17:39:31+00:00

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When devastating floods ripped through Jamestown, Colorado, in 2013, the rural mountain town’s school was physically unscathed. But students lost their homes. The town’s “patriarch” was killed. And the school building was converted to aid in disaster recovery.

It was only on the last day of the school year that kids were able to return to the school and celebrate graduation.

“It was a huge impact to be out of your home. I think just trying to care for the students, understanding that the biggest thing we could do for them was to support them emotionally and the families,” said Scott Boesel, the principal at the time. “Education was almost secondary for the first few months after the flood.”

As similar isolated but tight-knight rural communities in the southeast recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, educators and families are working together to address the physical and emotional consequences of the natural disasters. From flooding in Kentucky to fires in California to hurricanes in Puerto Rico, disasters everywhere have tested schools in recent years. Some facets of these crises are urgent but relatively short-term concerns. Others persist for years. But they are interconnected.

Helene and Milton have reportedly caused hundreds of deaths and devastating damage to property and livelihoods that’s still being tallied — one estimate has put the cost of recovering from Helene at $34 billion. Many schools and districts are still struggling with returning to class. Around 30 North Carolina school districts were impacted by the storms, according to the North Carolina Association of School Boards.

Most of the schools affected in North Carolina have “opened back up” but others have indicated that they are closed indefinitely, said Leanne Winner, the association’s executive director, late last week.

Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina in late September. More than 30 school districts in the state had to shut down classes due to the storm, according to the North Carolina Association of School Boards. (Mario Tama via Getty Images)

Specialists and educators interviewed by Chalkbeat about school communities that have been affected by such disasters highlighted the importance of prioritizing students’ mental health. Losing a house or a friend, or even less-catastrophic disruptions stemming from a natural disaster, are traumatic experiences for students.

Studies show that, during the first three months after a disaster, symptoms of post-traumatic stress can be seen in up to 72% of students in affected areas, according to research by Betty Lai, a professor of counseling psychology at Boston College.

That’s why it’s essential to monitor students and identify those under the most stress so that they can receive appropriate care.

“We have seen through research that many kids are resilient, meaning they seem to bounce back after a disaster,” Lai said. “But the bad news is that some children will experience high levels of distress, which we should be concerned about because we know that those distress symptoms can go on for many years.”

That issue is directly connected to academic recovery. A 2022 study published by the federal Government Accountability Office about the impact of natural disasters on schools found that “academic recovery generally could not take place until students and staff had begun their emotional recovery.”

The GAO’s study also found that the forced move to “improvised facilities” due to physical damage to normal school infrastructure also “disrupted the learning process.”

But trying to minimize effects on learning and test scores isn’t the only reason to focus on getting school buildings up and running again. In Jamestown, the district made an effort to resume classes as soon as possible, even if the school building could not be used. That’s because reestablishing kids’ routines is an essential aspect of making them feel safe.

“The key for the kids is trying to keep something similar in their lives,” Boesel said. “Having the ability to keep kids together, even though they were in a different location than they were used to, I think was huge for the kids in their recovery and huge for the families, so they could stay together as a unit.”

Losing a classroom can resemble losing a home

Schools in western North Carolina don’t have to look too far to find other schools that have grappled with expected and unexpected consequences from storms.

When Hurricane Florence hit the eastern portion of North Carolina in 2018, it severely damaged White Oak High School in Onslow County, forcing it to close entirely for more than five weeks.

During the 39 days while the school was entirely closed, students and teachers met in alternative locations — such libraries, churches, and other common areas — to keep kids engaged.

Even after the school partially reopened, students and teachers had to adapt to the loss of the science building, which remained under construction for almost a year, according to Christopher Barnes, the school’s principal at the time.

He recalled one teacher, for example, who had worked at the school for 30 years and lost all of her teaching materials.

“Teachers who lost their rooms in the school experienced the kind of trauma that I would expect when someone lost their home. And I did not anticipate that at the time,” said Barnes, who is now the Onslow County district’s chief academic officer. “Once I realized that was important to them and that it was more of an emotional toll, I understood that I could not be dismissive but had to sit and talk through those things with them.”

The recovery efforts did bring the White Oak community closer together and helped people support each other more. It also drove students' and teachers' focus to the academic curriculum. But in general, the challenges imposed by the loss of physical space also affect students’ learning: Students get less instruction time and attendance rates of both students and teachers can decline.

The federal accountability office’s report from 2022 quoted county education officials who stressed that students from already vulnerable populations, such as English language learners and students with disabilities, were hurt the most by instruction time lost to disasters.

It also noted that in districts with large shares of students from low-income backgrounds, there were adverse academic effects, whereas wealthier districts didn’t see “extended declines” in academic performance.

Data about the academic impacts of Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Matthew on North Carolina schools produced mixed results: Elementary schools’ test scores declined in the three years after the storms, but that pattern didn’t carry over into middle and high schools, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Recovery also depends significantly on the state and federal financial resources provided to schools. The GAO study showed that, in many cases, schools' insurance policies and federal grants were insufficient.

Counselor differentiates mental health support after disasters

The 2013 flood in Colorado also impacted Centaurus High School in Lafayette, where Sarina Gonzales worked as a counselor.

Gonzales works on the Boulder Valley School District’s Trauma Response Team, and provided emotional support for students after that flood as well as the Marshall Fire in 2021, which destroyed over 1,000 homes in Boulder County. When events like these happen, the team mobilizes quickly.

“I go in assuming that students, for a multitude of different reasons, don’t feel safe. And so I try to restore a sense of safety to the students,” she said.

Jamestown in Colorado's Boulder County was one of the most severely affected by floods in 2013. Students from different parts of the local school district had their lives affected by the storm. (Helen H. Richardson / Denver Post via Getty Images)

In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, the number of students identified as homeless in Boulder Valley district rose dramatically. In that case, Gonzales was also responsible for working with students from other schools in the county.

After that immediate response, it is essential to monitor students and identify those under the most stress so that they can receive appropriate care. According to Betty Lai’s research, the number of students exhibiting post-traumatic stress symptoms stemming from natural disasters tends to decrease over time, but around 10% of kids will still present them more than two years after an extreme event.

“Children who watched the water level rise or had to evacuate quickly, couldn’t return to their homes, or had a caregiver lose their job, for example, are more likely to experience distress after a disaster,” Lai said.

The shared catastrophe of natural disasters might erase some normal distinctions between members of school communities. But Gonzales said she had to adapt the assistance provided according to students’ different ages and needs.

“In my experience, elementary and middle school students wanted to talk individually and just tell their story to an adult,” she recalled. “They wanted to talk about getting their pets out, their story of how they got out of their house and rushed away from the fire, and things like that.”

Meanwhile, she said, high school students “didn’t want to talk to a stranger. They preferred to process that with people they knew better. But the high schoolers needed a space to go to, even if they didn’t want to talk.”

Wellington Soares is Chalkbeat’s national education reporting intern based in New York City. Contact Wellington at wsoares@chalkbeat.org

NYC schools launch anti-hate hotline as antisemitism and Islamophobia reports rise

2024-10-07T19:51:20+00:00

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In an effort to address rising incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia, New York City’s Education Department launched an anti-hate hotline, officials said Monday.

The goal is to streamline how students and staff report incidents related to hate, harassment, and discrimination, adding another avenue on top of a four-year-old online portal for all bullying complaints.

The hotline (718-935-2889), staffed with Education Department employees, will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Callers can remain anonymous, but the pre-recorded greeting suggests having your student’s ID number or your staff ID number to “expedite your call.”

“There is zero tolerance for hate in our schools,” incoming Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said in a statement, “and this new hotline will help ensure incidents are reported and addressed.”

The announcement was part of a suite of initiatives the Education Department highlighted as the city commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 terror attacks by Hamas on Israel, which killed more than 1,200 people. More than 250 people were taken hostage and more than 60 remain in captivity. Israel’s subsequent attack on Gaza has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, including many children, and has led to a wider conflict in the region.

Prior to the new hotline, students and staff members could report incidents with their school or through a bullying portal the department launched in 2020 in response to a fatal school stabbing a few years earlier by a student who had been bullied.

From September to January last school year, the city saw roughly 440 school reports about incidents related to ethnicity or national origin, up about 30% from the same time the year before, according to public data. There were nearly 290 reports related to religion, up nearly 78% from the year before.

Students also reported that such bullying was on the rise, according to the annual school surveys. About 40% of the middle and high school students who responded to the survey reported seeing harassment based on race, ethnicity, religion, or immigration status, up from 30% in 2019.

Many people had been asking the Education Department to create a hotline or dedicated way to specifically report hate-rated incidents, including Karen Marder, the teacher at Hillcrest High School in Queens, who faced a raucous student protest over her support of Israel in the aftermath of the attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.

Marder recently sued the city for failing to protect her before students began marching in the hallways, calling for her ouster. She has, however, remained at the school — she now helps oversee student discipline as one of the school’s deans — and has been heartened that the new school year has started off relatively calm under a new principal. She spent much of the past year calling on outgoing schools Chancellor David Banks to create a hotline like the one that was just launched.

“I’m very happy they are finally doing this though it shouldn’t have taken a year,” she told Chalkbeat.

As local colleges braced for protests, the Education Department’s Office of Safety and Prevention Partnerships expected to deploy additional staffers to public schools on Monday, officials said. And ahead of Oct. 7, Education Department officials sent reminders to principals about the role of schools to create safe spaces for students to engage with current events — but in ways that ensure schools don’t take political stances, officials said. Students have previously complained that they don’t feel supported or encouraged to discuss the issues.

Additionally, the Education Department this fall is offering new anti-discrimination staff training with a specific focus on antisemitism and Islamophobia. The city’s Hidden Voices curriculum — which focuses on historical figures whose stories seldom get told — is expected to release installments by the end of the school year on Muslim Americans and Jewish Americans, and the city is encouraging schools to visit museums to help deepen students’ understanding of different cultures and their histories. The school system’s Interfaith Advisory Council is continuing to meet this year, as a way to demonstrate to students how to build bridges across different groups.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

All NYC school buildings will have new door-locking systems by year’s end. Parents are conflicted.

2024-10-02T18:22:07+00:00

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A $92-million plan to equip all 1,600 New York City schools with cameras, intercoms, and buzzers so they can lock the front doors is more than halfway complete, with officials expecting the safety measures to be finished by June.

Chancellor David Banks has said that the Education Department’s Safer Access door-locking plan is an attempt to “harden” campuses, citing a need to control entry to buildings following violence near city schools as well as school shootings like the 2022 tragedy in Uvalde, Texas.

“We will have every school in New York City completed by the end of this school year,” Banks said at a recent town hall. “It’s a Herculean task, but what that is meant to do is to prevent intruders from getting into our schools, and it’s another layer of safety.”

The issue came up in the vice presidential debate on Tuesday night, when U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, the Republican running mate of former President Donald Trump, said that locking school doors and windows was among the most realistic solutions to gun violence. Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor and Democratic running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, Walz, called for red flag laws and better background checks.

New York City school leaders, though, are facing mixed reactions about the safety measures. Some local parents support the nationwide trend toward locking or monitoring building access, including those at P.S. 28, a Queens school where an emotionally disturbed person entered the building in 2022 and was wrestled to the ground by the school’s jiu jitsu-trained principal.

But others are skeptical of this method’s effectiveness. A locked front door wouldn’t have prevented the recent school shooting in Georgia, where a 14-year-old student enrolled at the school allegedly shot and killed two students and two teachers, injuring another nine. And some parents question whether the need for safety is strong enough to justify the unwelcome atmosphere of a locked front school door.

“I don’t feel like it should be shut up like prison gates,” said Curtis France, the father of two children at Brooklyn’s P.S. 235, which has not yet been outfitted with the new system. “I don’t feel any more safe with the doors closed.”

Hank Sheinkopf, a spokesperson for Teamsters Local 237, the union representing school safety agents, expressed some doubt that the door-locking project would substantially improve safety.

“We have not been advised of the specifics but maintain that there are no substitutes for more school safety agents and more screening,” he wrote in a statement.

Most elementary schools have the new intercom systems

The city has focused on elementary schools in its first round of upgrades, installing the new system in 78% of them already, officials said.

Installing the tech upgrades got off to a bumpy start last spring, with malfunctioning locks, camera problems, and communications systems snafus, according to the New York Post. The city initially awarded a $43 million contract to Symbrant Technologies, Inc. last year, before the Education Department replaced the company with NTT DATA.

The capital cost of the program increased to at least $92 million from $78 million because additional buildings needed upgrades to accommodate the system or extra functionalities, Education Department officials said.

Schools that have gotten the upgrades don’t look much different from those that haven’t, except for signs instructing visitors which door to use and pointing them to a buzzer on the wall. Some signage instructs visitors to look into the camera on the buzzer panel and identify themselves. Inside, school safety agents monitor the camera and are supposed to determine whether the visitor has a legitimate reason to be there before buzzing them in.

A reporter was able to walk into two different Brooklyn school buildings that had already been outfitted with intercoms without ringing the buzzer. At one campus, the intercom worked, and the school safety agent was able to hear and see people who approached the building, but the front door was unlocked. The school safety agent at the front desk said she had not yet been instructed to lock the door.

Officials said schools can’t opt out of the program. Once the equipment is fully functioning, the main door should be locked as outlined in Education Department protocols.

School communities see the good and bad

At New Bridges Elementary in Brooklyn, Principal Kevyn Bowles said he was glad the city installed a door-locking system on his campus two summers ago. His school is off the busy thoroughfare of Eastern Parkway, and there have been a handful of incidents over the past decade where people facing mental illness or homelessness wandered into the building and had to be escorted out by the school safety agent.

That would not happen with the new system, he believes.

“That person would be stopped at the door, and [the safety agent would] actually be able to give them the direction that they couldn’t come in,” Bowles said. And in the event that an outsider tried to get in to commit harm, “this would at least create a moment of pause where that person is asked to identify themselves before they get buzzed.”

Bowles acknowledged that the system is not airtight, since it’s turned off during arrival and dismissal. And he noted that the safety agent has to manage a lot of parents buzzing in during pickup from the afterschool program, as the door is locked again after the regular school day ends. But he said there haven’t been any significant hiccups or pushback from parents.

“It has just become part of the normal procedure,” he said.

Rosa Diaz, a parent leader in Manhattan’s East Harlem, felt the door-locking systems left a “sweet” and “sour” taste. The buzzer systems could have helped in instances she has seen, she said. One time, for example, she saw a parent entering her youngest child’s school with a knife due to a conflict with a parent on the PTA. The school safety agent intervened, and no one was hurt, she said.

But she worries the locked doors will be unfriendly to families, especially in her neighborhood, where there are many asylum-seeking and undocumented families.

“There is a relief that, god forbid, someone who wants to come in and do harm won’t do so,” Diaz said of the system. “But then there are parents that want to come in and will not feel welcomed, not feel invited.”

Banks has said the intention of the door-locking system isn’t to make parents feel excluded.

“It’s not meant to keep parents out,” he said recently. “It is designed to ensure that no one is in the building who is not supposed to be in the building. And that’s the number one thing that parents care about, is the safety of their child.”

Robert Murtfeld, a parent at the Neighborhood School in Manhattan, said some parents at his children’s East Village school felt that the locked door disrupted community spirit. But he took a more neutral stance, seeing both sides.

Murtfeld, who has pushed for the city to reduce active shooter drills, hoped that the door-locking systems mean there’s even less need for multiple lockdown drills in a year.

He gained a new perspective after spending nearly every day in the school for nearly three weeks cleaning out the PTA room.

“[I] saw how the school runs all day, at lunchtime, at recess, and not just at dropoff and pickup,” he said. “So that was when I realized that it is quite deserted at certain hours, and if anybody can walk into a deserted place, maybe it’s not a bad idea to have these things.”

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Julian Shen-Berro is a reporter covering New York City. Contact him at jshen-berro@chalkbeat.org

VP debate tackles school shootings: Vance backs more police, Walz supports gun-control measures

2024-10-02T04:34:51+00:00

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To make schools safer, should America invest more in school security measures and police officers? Or do more to limit access to guns?

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio agreed at Tuesday’s vice presidential debate that gun violence is a scourge on American youth. But they laid out different visions of how to address the problem.

Vance, the Republican running mate of former President Donald Trump, echoed comments he made in the wake of a recent school shooting in Georgia that cast school resource officers and so-called school hardening as the most realistic solution to gun violence. Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, said that red flag laws and better background checks could help keep guns out of the hands of people who would use them to do harm.

Both invoked their perspectives as fathers who send their children into the world each day and hope they return. Walz said that his 17-year-old son recently witnessed a shooting at a community center.

The exchange came during a wide-ranging and largely polite debate that focused heavily on immigration and the economy and included big promises about child care. The nearly two-hour debate was hosted by CBS and moderated by CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan, a Face the Nation moderator.

This could be the last debate before the election. When Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump debated on Sept. 10, there was a brief mention of the child tax credit but no discussion of K-12 education. Harris has said she would debate Trump again, but so far Trump has not agreed.

Vance favors more school security, Walz does not

The exchange about gun violence opened with a question to Vance about whether he agreed with the idea of charging parents when their children commit acts of violence, as happened after shootings in Oxford, Michigan, and Apalachee, Georgia. Studies find that most school shooters obtain their guns at home.

Vance said he would defer to local law enforcement on those decisions. Then — as he did throughout the debate — he linked the problem to immigration, in this case by talking about cartels trafficking in guns. He reiterated his belief that keeping guns out of the hands of “bad guys” is not realistic but that schools can be made safer.

“I don’t want my kids to go to school in a school that feels unsafe or where there are visible signs of security,” Vance said. “But I, unfortunately, think that we have to increase security in our schools. We have to make the doors lock better, we have to make the doors stronger. We’ve got to make the windows stronger. And, of course, we’ve got to increase school resource officers,” referring to police in schools.

Walz countered that he had visited schools in Finland and not seen those same kinds of hardening measures, despite high rates of gun ownership. Finland tightened gun regulations in the wake of two school shootings in 2007 and 2008, including requiring a license and gun registration.

“Do you want your schools hardened to look like a fort?” Walz said. “When we know there’s countries around the world that their children aren’t practicing these types of drills. They’re being kids. … You can still keep your firearms and we can make a difference.”

In the wake of high-profile school shootings, U.S. schools have already added many of the “hardening” measures that Vance called for.

And while some school districts have reduced the presence of police on school campuses in recent years, others have brought back school police or added more security. Around 45% of public schools had an armed police officer or other sworn law enforcement officer present at least once a week during the 2021-22 school year, the most recent federal data shows.

Most schools plan for the possibility of an active shooter and conduct lockdown drills, though there’s debate over the right way to do that so that kids aren’t traumatized by the drills.

Last year, an NPR/Ipsos poll found that 88% of K-12 parents supported teaching kids basic lockdown procedures, and 63% agreed that kids should be required to do at least one drill a year starting in kindergarten. There was much less support for using realistic measures like banging on classroom doors or playing the sound of gunshots.

Despite their terrifying frequency and randomness, mass shootings at schools represent a very small share of gun deaths. Vance said law enforcement needs to be empowered to address gun violence in cities, and the country needs to do more to get to the root causes of mental health problems that he said many gun deaths stem from.

Walz noted that many gun deaths, especially in rural areas, are suicides and that children die by suicide when they obtain access to their parents’ guns. Around a third of deaths by gunfire among children and teens in 2021 were suicides, federal data shows. Walz said he would not want to stigmatize people with mental health problems as being more likely to commit violence.

“We start looking for a scapegoat — sometimes it just is the guns,” Walz said.

Walz is a gun owner and describes himself as a supporter of the Second Amendment. As governor, Walz has enacted enhanced background checks and red-flag laws that allow authorities to remove firearms from someone found by a judge to be a threat to themselves or others.

VP candidates discuss paid leave, strengthening child care

The high cost and limited availability of child care is widely viewed as reaching crisis levels, with parents and especially mothers forgoing job opportunities because they can’t find safe people to care for their children.

Meanwhile, child care workers often earn poverty wages, and child care providers aren’t offering as many seats as they could because they can’t find workers. The United States is also the only developed nation to not have a national paid leave policy.

As governor, Walz signed a bill that will provide 12 weeks of paid family leave and 12 weeks of paid medical leave, with the cost covered by a payroll tax, starting in 2026.

Asked how long employers should have to pay for employees to stay home after the birth of a child, Walz didn’t provide a direct answer but said that paid leave policies are good for families and can co-exist with pro-business policies. He also said child care workers need to be paid better.

Both vice presidential candidates highlighted the high cost of child care and lack of options for families. Cities like Detroit have tried to invest in their child care systems with the help of private philanthropy.

Vance said he believes there are bipartisan solutions on child care. He said current federal programs don’t provide enough flexibility for families to choose options like church-based child care and family co-ops. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website and other sources say faith-based and home child care options are eligible for federal funding. Vance had previously suggested grandparents could help out more with child care.

Trump has said that he would fix child care, and that it would be “not very expensive” compared to the trillions the federal government would collect until his tariff proposal. But he has not offered details.

Both campaigns have expressed support for an expanded child tax credit, though they differ on the amount of money families should receive. It’s also unclear if Vance and Trump would support giving the full payment to parents who earn little or no income, as the pandemic-era policy Harris supports reviving would.

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor based in Colorado. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

Kalyn Belsha is a senior national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

Family of Luis Garcia, teen shot outside Denver’s East High, sues DPS for wrongful death

2024-10-01T20:06:22+00:00

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The family of Luis Garcia, a 16-year-old who was shot outside Denver’s East High School last year and died of his injuries, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Denver Public Schools.

The lawsuit, filed Monday, alleges that East High “subverted and weakened the security and safe environment” of the school when armed police officers were removed, allowing “potential shooters to believe they would be able to execute an attack.” The Denver school board had voted to remove all school resource officers from DPS schools in 2020.

The lawsuit accuses DPS of violating the Claire Davis School Safety Act, a state law named for a Colorado student who died in a school shooting. The law allows school districts to be held liable if they fail to exercise “reasonable care” to protect students and staff from “reasonably foreseeable” acts of violence at school, including murder.

In addition to DPS, the lawsuit names past and present members of the Denver school board as defendants. The board reversed its decision to remove armed police from schools in 2023 after Luis’ death and a shooting inside East High a month later. East High now has two SROs.

A Denver Public Schools spokesperson said the district does not comment on pending litigation. Board President Carrie Olson, who has served on the board since 2017, said the same.

Luis Garcia, in the red shorts and #11 jersey, played soccer for East High School.

Jose Luis Garcia-Bobadilla, known at school as Luis Garcia, was shot while sitting in his car outside East High on Feb. 13, 2023, after dropping his cousin off at the school. Luis was himself a junior at East High and a talented soccer player who wore #11 on his jersey.

Luis was shot in the head. He died of his injuries more than two weeks later on Feb. 28, 2023.

Using pseudonyms, the 16-page lawsuit also names as defendants a juvenile male and his mother. The lawsuit alleges the juvenile male shot and killed Luis.

The lawsuit says the juvenile male stole a white Kia Sportage, then ran a red light outside East High, drove the Kia “on a direct path straight to Luis,” and opened fire on Luis as he sat in his black Honda Accord on school property.

The lawsuit says the juvenile male’s mother “knew or should have known that her son was in possession of firearms, ammunition, and other illegal weapons” because of his social media and because of “items found in her home by law enforcement.”

The lawsuit says the Denver Police Department investigated Luis’ death but that “no charges have even been filed by the Denver District Attorney’s Office.”

Neither the Denver Police Department nor the Denver District Attorney’s Office responded to requests for comment on the status of the case.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

New Jersey requires threat assessment teams, but impact has been hard to measure

2024-09-27T15:09:19+00:00

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Every New Jersey school is required to have a threat assessment team prepared to respond to school threats, such as the online social media threats several districts received earlier this month.

These teams are also tasked with making all schools feel safe, which many experts say is equally or more important for violence prevention than how schools and law enforcement respond to individual threats.

The state’s threat assessment law, which required teams to be in place by September 2023, is based on the Secret Service threat assessment model. In New Jersey schools, teams are tasked with identifying students of concern, assessing their risk of engaging in violence and then delivering intervention strategies to ensure a safe school environment.

The law does not include a data reporting requirement, which means little information is available about how the work of these assessment teams is going one year into the mandate from the state.

How a threat assessment team is composed

Threat assessment teams must include an administrator, teacher, school safety specialist, law-enforcement liaison, and an employee with expertise in student counseling, according to state law.

The state Department of Education said it has trained about 28,000 school officials in behavioral threat assessment practices and is continuing to offer training to mitigate the risk of violence in schools.

The department also provides schools with technical assistance, security assessments, drill observations, and other tools to ensure a safe and secure learning environment, according to a spokesperson.

“Keeping public spaces safe from any form of violence or harmful activities, especially in our schools, is of the utmost importance to me and this administration,” Gov. Phil Murphy said when he signed the bill into law on Aug. 1, 2022. “It is my hope that these threat assessment teams will help students and school employees feel safe and out of harm’s way when they are at school, and for students who are considered to be a threat to receive the much-needed help they need at such a crucial time in their lives.”

After the bill was signed, the Education Law Center wrote a letter to state lawmakers urging amendments that would limit law enforcement involvement to specific situations, narrow the grounds for threat assessment referrals to prevent profiling, improve student privacy protections, and add a data reporting requirement.

No changes were made.

Advocates share concerns about threat assessment teams

“We appreciate that lawmakers intended to better protect New Jersey students and educators by passing this law. However, based on our understanding of school discipline disparities and threat assessment team best practices, we are concerned that implementing this law will negatively impact New Jersey students, particularly students of color and those with disabilities,” reads the letter, which includes signatures from the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, New Jersey Policy Perspective, and other advocacy groups.

Including a data reporting requirement would allow for the state to see if certain student groups are overrepresented in referrals to threat assessment teams and alter training practices or regulations to protect the referral process from bias and prejudice, the advocates wrote.

There is still a need for data on how threat assessment teams are being used and which students are most impacted by their existence, Elizabeth Athos, senior attorney at the Education Law Center, told NJ Spotlight News.

New Jersey’s threat assessment law emphasizes identifying students with behaviors of concern and says approaches must “not tolerate profiling of any kind based on race, ethnicity, age, physical or mental health conditions, learning abilities, socioeconomic status, gender, or religion.”

The state Department of Education guidance says concerning behaviors may include unusual interests in violent topics, conflicts between classmates, increased anger, increased substance use, or other noteworthy changes in behavior, such as depression or withdrawal from social activities.

An evidence-based system could help prevent bias

State guidance notes that concerning behavior does not predict if someone will become violent, but instead serves as an indicator that someone might need increased support. According to the Secret Service’s guide to preventing school violence, there is no profile of a student attacker.

“There have been male and female attackers, high-achieving students with good grades as well as poor performers. These acts of violence were committed by students who were loners and socially isolated, and those who were well-liked and popular,” the Secret Service guide reads.

Amanda Klinger, director of operations for The Educator’s School Safety Network, said threat assessments can help keep bias out of violence prevention by creating a formalized, evidence-based system.

“In the absence of a system, there’s this very informal, loose, ‘Well, what do you think about this kid?’” said Klinger, whose organization provides threat assessment training to schools nationwide. It is good to raise concerns about the role of bias to make sure the system isn’t used against minority groups, they said.

“It’s a little bit difficult for states to know, is this being implemented with fidelity, or did we send four people to the training as required and we don’t actually know how often it’s being used,” Klinger said.

How NJ law compares

New Jersey’s threat assessment law is standard compared to such laws in other states, Klinger said. Virginia became the first state to mandate threat assessment in K-12 schools in 2013 following a mass shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007. Since then, most states have implemented some type of threat assessment policy, according to the National Association of State Boards of Education.

New Jersey guidelines lay out eight steps for establishing a threat assessment program, beginning with establishing a threat assessment team and ending with creating a safe school climate and conducting training for members of the school community.

The seventh step includes assessing and improving the school climate, strengthening how connected students feel to school, empowering students to share concerns with adults in the school they trust, and finding clubs or teams students can join to find community.

New Jersey schools were already required to have school safety teams to “develop, foster, and maintain a positive school climate” under the state’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights.

Having a positive school culture is the most important aspect of school safety, Klinger said.

“We call it ‘school safety you can feel good about,’” Klinger said, drawing a contrast to school security drills and metal detectors in schools. “We spend a lot of time working with schools on school safety improvements or mitigations we can do that also have positive consequences for school climate — and behavioral threat assessment is certainly one of those.”

Hannah Gross covers education and child welfare for NJ Spotlight News via a partnership with Report for America. She covers the full spectrum of education and children’s services in New Jersey and looks especially through the lens of equity and opportunity. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark.

Where does NYC Chancellor David Banks stand on a school cellphone ban? Here’s a timeline.

2024-09-12T21:22:45+00:00

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Will they or won’t they? That’s the question many New Yorkers are asking about a citywide school cellphone ban.

Over the past six months, schools Chancellor David Banks has swung back and forth: from largely dismissing the idea in March, to hinting a citywide ban would come in a matter of weeks over the summer, to once again casting doubt on the fate of the proposal on Thursday.

“Who knows, we may not do a full-on ban, period,” he told leaders on his parent advisory council. “Ultimately, at the end of the day, that’s still the mayor’s call to make.” (And it was indeed Mayor Eric Adams who first announced during a late August press conference that the city was pumping the brakes on a systemwide ban,.)

City officials plan to take the year to study the approaches of the schools that already ban phones to figure out what works best. Roughly 350 schools had their own bans at the end of last year, and another 500 plan to implement them this year, Banks said.

If there is a citywide ban, it won’t come until next school year at the earliest. And these bans can be pricey: storage and staffing for collecting phones can add up, as do the pouches that some schools buy for students to carry their phones locked away. Those cloth cases cost $25-$30 per student. Banks acknowledged Thursday that the city would likely have to front that cost if he imposes a systemwide ban.

The chancellor, who is currently caught in a federal investigation, made light of his predicament, in which FBI agents seized his phone, along with those of other top officials, before the first day of school.

“I think they heard I was trying to do a cellphone ban in New York, so they decided to let me see what it feels like,” he told parent leaders Thursday. Banks is cooperating with the investigation but was told he was not a target, he said Thursday on WNYC.

To help you make sense of the phone ban back-and-forth, Chalkbeat created a timeline of Banks’ public statements.

The timeline traces Banks’ personal evolution on the idea, but also provides some insight into why it’s been so complicated to settle on a policy for banning phones in the nation’s largest school system.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Public Schools’ $17.5 million AI camera project delayed until the end of the school year

2024-09-06T17:19:30+00:00

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The installation of a new artificially intelligent surveillance system meant to make Newark schools safer has been delayed and won’t be completed until the end of the school year, the district said.

Newark Public Schools had planned to install over 7,000 cameras equipped with AI capabilities — one for every five students — by Aug. 31, before the start of the school year. The district did not provide details about the reasons for the delay but sources close to the project said it was due to challenges in connecting required cabling and wiring through Newark’s aging school buildings.

Newark’s multimillion dollar AI camera project is largely funded by federal COVID relief money through the American Rescue Plan — funding that was set to expire on Sept. 30. The Newark school district received a federal extension to use the funds past the September deadline following project delays, according to Paul Brubaker, the district’s communications director, in an email to Chalkbeat.

The work to install cameras and connect the required cabling districtwide is projected to cost $17.5 million, according to Brubaker. The installation work will take place outside school hours, Brubaker added.

Millennium Communications Group Inc., based in East Hanover, N.J., is responsible for completing the cabling work required to connect and activate cameras to district servers. Millennium declined to comment “because of the sensitive nature of our work,” according to an email to Chalkbeat Newark. The company said it is “not authorized to comment on active projects” and referred all questions to the district.

The work to install over 7,000 cameras in Newark’s school buildings, some of the oldest in the state dating back to the early 1900s, is a massive infrastructure project for the district, where many schools need asbestos removal among other structural upgrades.

In May, the Newark school board first approved a contract up to $12 million for Turn-Key Technologies Inc., based in Sayreville, N.J., to install the AI surveillance system across all schools. The board also approved a separate contract up to $10 million for Millennium to complete the cabling work required to connect and activate cameras to district servers. In 2021, the district allocated $2.4 million in federal COVID money for security cameras, which Superintendent Roger León has said are meant to make schools safer.

But security experts warn that systems with AI capabilities could result in an invasion of privacy or could potentially misidentify items or students if proper safeguards or policies are not in place.

Millennium is a fiber optics and technology company that has encouraged school districts to use American Rescue Plan dollars on security, surveillance, and network infrastructure. Millennium, which beat out two other vendors for the bid, is also an authorized reseller on the New Jersey School Board Association’s Technology & Cybersecurity contract through its partnership with Carahsoft, a government IT solutions company, and the school board association. The contract allows Millennium to supply school districts and member charter schools throughout New Jersey with cybersecurity solutions.

The district’s new surveillance system is an upgrade from its previous cameras. The new setup will use Avigilon cameras, a type of system compatible with Motorola radios used by district school security guards. The integration also expands Newark’s security capabilities by designating personnel to access camera footage, allowing the district to search through footage, hone in on specific incidents, and detect unusual activities throughout the school day.

That system will work with the district’s HALO sensors that can detect vape, gun sounds, and abnormal noise in areas where there are no cameras such as bathrooms, according to Newark’s request for proposals.

Wilson said in May that city police officials would not have access to the system, which includes cameras inside and outside of school buildings and other district locations.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Memphis school leaders grapple with school safety, air conditioning issues

2024-08-21T03:07:38+00:00

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The superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools wants to allay concerns about safety in the new school year after narrowly avoiding a walkout by school resource officers last week and accepting the resignation of the district’s new security chief just days after he started.

“I give you assurance … that our district is fine,” Marie Feagins told school board members Tuesday evening after a tumultuous week in which she and the board agreed to give the district’s 125-plus officers significant raises.

Feagins also reported that air conditioning problems that caused a dozen schools to close early on Aug. 5, the first day of classes, also impacted student health as the heat index climbed to 106 degrees.

“We have had some asthma-related incidents and a couple of seizures,” she said. “And so that still remains at the top of mind for us.”

Feagins added that technicians have completed a third of the 1,393 work orders received in August to troubleshoot air conditioning issues across the district’s 165 buildings.

But the maintenance issues are severe, she said of the $1 billion backlog in Tennessee’s largest school system, and the district’s building maintenance division is short-staffed. The district recently increased pay for its technicians, partly because of workforce competition from Ford Motor Co.’s electric truck assembly plant under construction in nearby Haywood County.

The troubling reports came amid sometimes tense exchanges between the district’s new leader and school board members in one of their final meetings before four new members are scheduled to be seated in September following this month’s elections.

But they agreed about the importance of completing Whitehaven High School’s $9.5 million STEM lab, as the board unanimously approved $2.3 million for the job. The construction project, which broke ground in April and also is funded with private dollars, has been delayed three months because of a lag in disbursing money that had been promised earlier by the district’s interim leader, Toni Williams.

The vote to disburse $1.3 million that previously had been approved, plus another $1 million to cover the cost of a storm shelter required by building codes, prompted cheers from Whitehaven teachers and community members, some of whom spoke during the meeting.

“This is a slam dunk; we should have already done this,” said Wayne Hawkins, a teacher at Whitehaven.

Board members also voted unanimously to have the school system’s attorney report from now on to the elected board instead of to the superintendent — a change in organizational structure they said is needed to maintain independence and avoid conflicts of interest.

School safety was front and center last week as school resource officers threatened to walk off the job just days before the district’s annual football jamboree. Last year, gunfire broke out during two games.

But Feagins reported that no major incidents occurred during this year’s three-day jamboree that featured 67 middle and high school teams and attracted more than 6,000 spectators.

She and other board members thanked officers for ensuring a safe environment. A week earlier, they settled their dispute with SROS over pay and other issues.

But Feagins acknowledged missteps in hiring George Harris as her executive director of safety and security without conducting a more thorough background check.

Harris was recruited from Detroit Public Schools Community District, where Feagins previously was an administrator and he was a lieutenant in the department of patrol operations. After school board member Stephanie Love emailed Feagins and other board members on Aug. 16 about allegations that Harris had misappropriated funds during his time in Detroit, Harris resigned from his new job the next day, citing “personal reasons.”

“I own that I made the offer to the individual based on the information that I had,” Feagins told the board.

She said she’s open to policy changes to strengthen the background check process for filling such jobs as she looks to replace Harris in what she called “a very important role.”

Love responded: “I agree we need to strengthen policies so this will never happen again.”

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

New York schools must notify parents ahead of lockdown drills, under newly amended rules

2024-07-15T21:33:32+00:00

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New York education officials are mandating that schools develop procedures to notify parents at least a week in advance of lockdown drills.

The change is part of new regulations set to take effect in 2024-25 requiring that the drills be conducted in “a trauma-informed, developmentally and age-appropriate manner,” according to the amended rules adopted by the state’s Board of Regents on Monday.

To some advocates and lawmakers who for years have sought changes in lockdown drill requirements out of concerns about their impact on student mental health, the amended regulations come as a welcome step. But they fall short of the full reforms that advocates sought.

Currently, New York law requires that public schools conduct at least four lockdown drills each year — a number that critics argue was arbitrarily chosen. Earlier this year, some lawmakers introduced a bill that would lower the requirement to two drills, but it didn’t pass by the end of the legislative session.

That bill included a series of provisions related to school drills — including several that were adopted by the Regents on Monday, such as the requirement that that parents and staff get advance notice and that the drills be trauma-informed, meaning they avoid tactics that could cause or trigger a traumatic response, like using props or actors to simulate a school shooting.

Lockdown drills had occurred in 95% of public schools in the U.S. as of 2016, with at least 40 states requiring them, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates against gun violence. The organization has advised against conducting lockdown drills, noting they can cause “collateral consequences to school communities’ mental health and wellbeing.”

New York is one of just a handful of states that require four or more lockdown drills each year, and its students can in some cases experience twice as many drills as those in other states, according to an analysis from the Trace, a news organization that covers gun violence.

Under the newly amended regulations, schools cannot use “props, actors, simulations, or other tactics intended to mimic a school shooting” during drills. For schools that choose to conduct additional exercises involving such elements, the amended regulations note that they cannot be conducted on a school day or involve students without written parental consent.

Robert Murtfeld, a Manhattan parent who has been advocating for the lockdown drill reform for years, said the amended regulations are “a hugely positive step.” Though he still hopes to see state lawmakers lower the mandated number of drills and allow parents to opt their children out, Murtfeld added that the amended rules will be greatly beneficial in the coming school year.

“It’s absolutely transformative,” he said. “Last year, when the bill stalled, we started in September with nothing. Now, the bill has stalled, but we really have something quite comprehensive.”

Julian Shen-Berro is a reporter covering New York City. Contact him at jshen-berro@chalkbeat.org.

¿Están acosando a tu hijo? Consulta esta guía para padres.

2024-07-01T20:06:15+00:00

Read in English.

A tu hijo lo empujaron contra los casilleros de la escuela por tercera vez esta semana. El grupo de examigos de tu hija no deja de propagar rumores crueles sobre ella—en los pasillos y por internet.

Que a un niño lo acosen en la escuela es causa de temor y trauma para los jóvenes. También puede dejar a los padres desesperados por encontrar la respuesta correcta: ¿A quién llamamos? ¿Cómo podemos ayudar? ¿Qué le debemos decir a nuestra hija?

Para obtener respuestas a estas preguntas, Chalkbeat reunió los consejos de expertos en el Departamento de Educación de Colorado, el Centro de Recursos para Recuperarse del Acoso en Denver y el Centro Jefferson, un proveedor sin fines de lucro de servicios para la salud mental.

Aunque no existe la solución perfecta, los expertos dicen que las conversaciones frecuentes y abiertas con los niños, y la escuela, pueden ayudar a identificar y detener el acoso escolar, también conocido como bullying en inglés.

“Si el bullying sucede, es importante seguir reportándolo y decirle al niño que estás de su lado sin importar lo que pase”, dijo Dru Ahlborg, directora ejecutiva del Centro de Recursos para Recuperarse del Acoso.

¿Qué es el acoso o bullying y qué no lo es?

El acoso ocurre cuando una persona demuestra agresión no deseada—física o verbalmente o de cualquier otra manera—hacia otra persona Y la persona que está practicando el acoso tiene más poder que la persona a quien está acosando. Los desbalances de poder pueden demostrarse de varias formas, por ejemplo, cuando el niño que está acosando es más grande físicamente, más fuerte o más popular que el niño a quien está acosando.

Los expertos señalan que el acoso es diferente al conflicto, el cual puede ser una riña en el área de juegos de la escuela o una pelea entre niños con niveles similares de poder. Los conflictos pueden resolverse a través de la negociación, pero el acoso no.

“No puede ser como: ‘Solo dense la mano y vayan por caminos aparte‘”, Ahlborg dijo. “Si realmente es acoso, eso no funcionará. Eso creará más daño para el niño que está siendo acosado”.

En general, los casos que suceden una vez—como que a un niño lo empujen o insulten—no se consideran acoso o bullying. Pero si una agresión no deseada tiene el potencial de repetirse, quizás lo sea, Ahlborg dijo.

“[Si] pones la cabeza de un niño en el inodoro una vez, eso es bullying”, dijo. “Hay una buena posibilidad de que se repita si no hay una intervención para que no pase”.

¿Son el hostigamiento y el acoso la misma cosa?

Son similares, pero no lo mismo. El hostigamiento (harassment, en inglés) es acoso dirigido a alguien que pertenece a una clase protegida, es decir, debido a su discapacidad, grupo racial, credo, color de piel, sexo, orientación sexual, identidad de género, expresión de género, estado civil, origen nacional, religión, linaje o necesidad de servicios educativos especiales. El hostigamiento se considera una forma de discriminación y hay más protecciones legales para estudiantes que sufren hostigamiento que para aquellos que son acosados.

¿Cuáles son las señales de que a un estudiante lo están acosando?

Cambios grandes y repentinos en el comportamiento del niño pueden ser una señal de que lo están acosando, Ahlborg dijo.

Por ejemplo, “ya no quiere ir a pasar tiempo con sus amigos después de la escuela, o quizás quiere salirse del equipo de fútbol americano, o quizás sus calificaciones están bajando bastante rápido, o está malhumorado y triste”, dijo.

¿Qué hago para que mi hija me diga que la están acosando?

Expertos dicen que los padres deben comunicarse regular y abiertamente con sus hijos.

Erin Twiehaus, una trabajadora social con el Centro Jefferson que trabaja regularmente en escuelas públicas, dijo que anima a los padres para que hablen con sus hijos todos los días. Por ejemplo, los padres pueden preguntar: “¿Cuál fue tu parte favorita del día?” y luego, “¿Cuál fue la parte más difícil de tu día?”

Estas conversaciones diarias para ver cómo están crea espacio para que los niños mencionen casos de acoso u otras situaciones desagradables, dijo. “Creo que así es como los padres pueden descubrir estas cosas un poco antes, en lugar de que el niño espere hasta que se pongan muy mal [las cosas] para decir algo”.

Ahlborg dijo que los niños con frecuencia comparten “microdosis” de información por la vergüenza que sienten de que los acosen. Es importante que los padres mantengan la calma y no critiquen cuando hablen con sus hijos que están siendo acosados, porque los niños a veces temen las reacciones de los padres.

“Hazle saber al niño que no ha hecho nada para merecerse lo que pasó, que juntos encontrarán una solución”, dijo.

Twiehaus sugirió que los padres digan cosas como: “Guau, eso sí suena difícil” o “suena como que usaste tus habilidades para resolver problemas”, en lugar de hacer comentarios despectivos como: “Eso no es tan difícil” o “ves, estuvo bien”.

¿Qué debo hacer si pienso que a mi hijo lo están acosando?

Si está sucediendo en la escuela o por los compañeros de clase afuera de la escuela, reportáselo a la escuela. Si está sucediendo en otro lugar, como en un grupo de jóvenes de la iglesia o un equipo deportivo, reportáselo a los líderes de esos grupos.

Ahlborg dijo que aunque los padres reporten el acoso verbalmente, es buena idea documentar la situación por escrito. Eso significa enviar un mensaje por correo electrónico o texto, repitiendo los puntos clave de la conversación y cualquier medida que el maestro u otro adulto haya dicho que tomará. También dijo que los padres deben reportar cada caso de acoso ante la escuela después de la primera conversación.

¿Debo enfrentar al niño que está acosando a mi hijo?

No. Por lo general, no es eficaz, y los padres pueden meterse en problemas por regañar o tratar de disciplinar al hijo de otra persona.

¿Debo hablar con los padres del niño que está acosando a mi hijo?

Usualmente no, a menos que ya tengas una amistad o relación con los padres de ese niño.

¿Qué debo esperar que haga la escuela de mi hijo después de reportarles la situación de acoso?

No existe una respuesta igual para todos los casos, pero lo más importante es que el acoso debe dejar de suceder, Ahlborg dijo.

Adam Collins, el gerente estatal de prevención del bullying en el Departamento de Educación de Colorado, dijo que cada escuela en Colorado está obligada a tener una norma para prevenir el acoso y debe seguir los pasos descritos en esa norma.

En lo relacionado con ayudar al estudiante siendo acosado, las soluciones pueden incluir conectarlo con un adulto confiable en la escuela que estará pendiente de él. También pueden incluir un plan de seguridad que indique que un integrante del personal debe acompañar al niño por los pasillos, que lo dejen salir cinco minutos antes, o que cambien su horario del almuerzo, salón o asiento en el autobús. En algunos casos, el estudiante que está acosando a otro podría estar sujeto a un “contrato sin contacto” que le prohíba interactuar con el niño a quien está acosando. En otros casos, a un estudiante que está acosando a otro lo pueden suspender o expulsar.

Expertos no recomiendan prácticas reparadoras, como mediación entre pares, en casos de acoso, Collins dijo. La razón es porque el desbalance de poder que caracterizó el acoso pueden volver a presentarse durante las conversaciones reparadoras y volver a traumatizar a la víctima, aun cuando haya adultos presentes.

Lo reporté, pero el acoso continúa. ¿Qué debo hacer?

Los representantes del estado recomiendan que los padres empiecen reportando el caso de acoso ante el empleado de menor nivel, por ejemplo, el maestro en el salón de clases. Si no se resuelve, que continúen con el siguiente empleado de mayor nivel, Eso quizás signifique que le digan al subdirector o director, luego al supervisor del director y luego al superintendente del distrito o consejo de educación.

A mi hijo lo están acosando en las redes sociales. ¿Cómo debo responder?

Expertos dicen que el ciberacoso es común y especialmente complicado porque muchos estudiantes tienen acceso a dispositivos electrónicos las 24 horas del día. Aunque esté ocurriendo fuera de la escuela o después del horario escolar, vale la pena reportárselo a la escuela del niño si el acoso involucra a los compañeros de la escuela.

Para detener el acoso por internet, los padres pueden hacer que sus hijos dejen de usar temporalmente las redes sociales, cambien su número de teléfono, empiecen una nueva cuenta con acceso solo para sus amigos cercanos, o se cambien a una plataforma que facilite el bloqueo de usuarios no deseados.

¿Me dirá la escuela de mi hija si el estudiante que estaba acosándola recibió un castigo?

No. Las leyes de privacidad impiden que las escuelas compartan cómo se disciplinó a un estudiante, hasta con la familia de la víctima. Expertos dicen que eso con frecuencia deja a los padres frustrados, pero que es mejor enfocarse en ayudar al estudiante víctima del acoso.

“Animo a los padres para que enfoquen su energía en actividades que valgan su tiempo”, Twiehaus dijo. “Tratar de combatir las leyes de privacidad … Probablemente no sea el mejor uso de su energía”.

El acoso se detuvo, pero mi hijo sigue teniendo dificultades. ¿Qué debo hacer?

Twiehaus dijo que es normal que el acoso tenga efectos a largo plazo porque con frecuencia produce mensajes internos negativos en niños que son acosados. La terapia o hasta cambiar de escuela pueden ayudar a que los estudiantes superen las dificultades después del acoso.

También anima a que los padres lleven a sus hijos a actividades que fortalezcan su autoestima o los ayuden a dominar una habilidad: jugar un nuevo deporte, aprender a tocar un instrumento musical o aprender a costurar.

Muchas familias dicen que las artes marciales ayudaron a sus hijos, Ahlborg dijo.

“Probablemente nunca las usen contra otra persona … pero es solo ese sentimiento interno de crecimiento y poder”, dijo.

Sospecho que mi hijo quizás esté acosando a otros. ¿Cuáles son las señales?

Los niños que tienen amigos que acosan a otros son susceptibles a demostrar comportamientos acosadores también, Collins dijo. Otras señales incluyen las peleas verbales o físicas frecuentes y pertenencias o dinero sin explicaciones, dijo.

Confirmé que mi hijo está acosando a otros. ¿Qué debo hacer?

Expertos dicen que es natural que los padres se molesten cuando descubren que su hijo está acosando a otros. Twiehaus dijo que los padres quizás quieran desahogarse: “¿Cómo es posible que hagas esto? ¿Por qué lo estabas haciendo? No puedo creerlo. No te enseñé esto”. Sin embargo, es importante controlar las emociones para que puedan tener una verdadera conversación.

Twiehaus también dijo que, aunque muchos padres quieren saber por qué su hijo estaba acosando a alguien, muchas personas jóvenes, aún hasta las de 16 y 17 años, no tienen la autoconciencia para explicar sus acciones.

Expertos dicen que los padres pueden trabajar con sus hijos para que entiendan el daño que causaron y desarrollen empatía y bondad.

“Los niños que practican actos de acoso, usualmente hay algo que está sucediendo en su vida que es incómodo y es una manera de reaccionar y tener poder sobre alguien más”, Ahlborg dijo.

Abordar la causa principal puede ayudar, dijo. “¿Hay algún desafío de salud mental? ¿Están teniendo problemas en la escuela o para hacer amigos? … Es muy, muy común que alguien que haya sido acosado se convierta en acosador”.

Ann Schimke es reportera senior de Chalkbeat y cubre temas relacionados con la niñez temprana y la alfabetización temprana. Para comunicarte con Ann, envíale un email a aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

Traducido por Alejandra X. Castañeda

Parents, here’s what you need to know if your child is being bullied.

2024-06-26T17:44:06+00:00

Leer en español.

Your son got shoved against the lockers at school for the third time this week. Your daughter’s former friend group won’t stop spreading nasty rumors about her — in the hallways and online.

Being bullied is scary and traumatic for youth. It can also leave parents flailing for the right response: Who should I call? How can I help? What should I say to my child?

To get answers to these questions, Chalkbeat gathered advice from experts at the Colorado Department of Education, the Denver-based Bullying Recovery Resource Center, and the Jefferson Center, a nonprofit mental health provider.

While there’s no silver bullet, experts say frequent and open conversations with children — and the school — can help identify and put a stop to bullying.

“If bullying happens, it’s important to keep reporting it and let the child know that you’re on their side no matter what,” said Dru Ahlborg, executive director of the Bullying Recovery Resource Center.

What is bullying — and what isn’t?

Bullying occurs when one person shows unwanted aggression — physically, verbally, or in another way — toward another person AND the person doing the bullying has more power than the one being bullied. Power imbalances can take various forms, for example, when the child doing the bullying is bigger, stronger, or more popular than the child being bullied.

Experts note that bullying is different from conflict, which could be a school yard scuffle or dispute involving children with similar levels of power. Conflicts can be resolved through negotiation but bullying can’t.

“It can’t be like, ‘Just shake hands and go your separate ways,’” said Ahlborg. “If it’s truly bullying, that’s not going to work. That’s going to create more harm for the child who’s being targeted.”

In general, one-time incidents — like a child getting pushed or called a name — aren’t considered bullying. But if an unwanted aggression has the potential to be repeated, it might be, said Ahlborg.

“You put a kid’s head in the toilet once, that’s bullying,” she said. “There’s a good chance it will be repeated if there’s not an intervention where it gets stopped.”

Are harassment and bullying the same thing?

They are similar, but not the same. Harassment is bullying targeted at someone in a protected class — in other words, because of their disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services. Harassment is considered a form of discrimination and there are more legal protections for students experiencing harassment than for those experiencing bullying.

What are signs a student is being bullied?

Large and rapid shifts in a child’s behavior can be a sign of bullying, Ahlborg said.

For example, “They no longer want to go hang out with friends after school, or maybe they want to quit the football team, or maybe the grades are dropping pretty quickly, or they’re more moody and sad,” she said.

How can I get my child to tell me if they’re being bullied?

Experts say parents should have regular, open communication with their children.

Erin Twiehaus, a social worker with the Jefferson Center who regularly works in public schools, said she encourages parents to talk with their children daily. For example, parents can ask, “What was your favorite part of the day?” and then, “What was the hardest part of your day?”

These daily check-ins create space for children to bring up bullying or other upsetting situations, she said. “I think that’s how parents can catch these things a little bit earlier, rather than the child waiting until it gets really bad before they say something.”

Ahlborg said kids often share “micro-doses” of information because of the shame they feel over being bullied. It’s important for parents to be calm and non-judgmental when talking with children about bullying because kids sometimes fear parents’ reactions.

“Let the child know they’ve done nothing to deserve what happened, that together you’ll find a solution,” she said.

Twiehaus suggested parents say things like, “Wow, that does sound hard” or “Sounds like you used your problem-solving skills,” rather than making dismissive comments like, “That’s not that hard” or “See, it was fine.”

What should I do if I think my child is being bullied?

If it’s occurring in school, or being perpetrated by classmates outside of school, report it to the school. If it’s occurring elsewhere — in a church youth group or a club sport team — report it to leaders in those groups.

Ahlborg said even when parents report bullying verbally, it’s a good idea to create a paper trail. That means sending a follow-up email or text, repeating key points from the conversation and any action steps the teacher or other adult said they would take. She also said parents should report every bullying incident to the school after the initial communication.

Should I confront the child who is doing the bullying?

No. In general, it’s not effective, and parents can get in trouble for reprimanding or trying to discipline someone else’s child.

Should I talk to the parents of the child doing the bullying?

Not usually, unless you have an existing friendship or relationship with that child’s parents.

What should I expect from my child’s school after I report bullying?

There’s no one-size-fits-all response, but the most important thing is that the bullying needs to stop, said Ahlborg.

Adam Collins, the statewide bullying prevention manager at the Colorado Department of Education, said every school in Colorado is required to have a bullying prevention policy, and should follow the steps outlined there.

In terms of helping a bullied student, solutions might include connecting the child to a trusted adult at school who will look out for them. It could also mean a safety plan that calls for a student to be accompanied through the hallway by a staff member, let out of class five minutes early, or switched to a different lunch period, classroom, or seat on the bus. In some cases, the student doing the bullying may be subject to a “no-contact contract” that bars them from interacting with the child being bullied. In others, the student doing the bullying, may be suspended or expelled.

Experts don’t recommend restorative practices, such as peer mediation, in cases of bullying, said Collins. That’s because the imbalance of power that characterized the bullying can play out again during restorative conversations and retraumatize the victim — even when adults are present.

I’ve reported it, but the bullying hasn’t stopped. What should I do?

State officials recommend parents start by reporting bullying to the lowest-level employee — say, the classroom teacher. If there’s no resolution, continue reporting it up the chain. That might mean telling the assistant principal or principal, then the principal’s supervisor, then the district superintendent or board of education.

My child is being bullied on social media. How should I respond?

Experts say cyberbullying is common and particularly tricky because so many students have 24/7 access to electronics. Even if it’s technically occurring off-campus or after school hours, it’s worth reporting to the child’s school if it involves peers from the school.

To stop online bullying, parents can have their child take a break from social media, change their phone number, start a new account that only close friends have access to, or switch to a platform that makes it easier to block unwanted users.

Will my child’s school tell me whether the student doing the bullying was punished?

No. Privacy laws prevent schools from sharing how an individual student was disciplined — even with the victim’s family. Experts say that often leaves parents frustrated, but that it’s better to focus on helping the student who was bullied.

“I encourage parents to focus their energy on tasks that are going to be worth their time,” said Twiehaus. “Trying to combat privacy laws … It’s probably not going to be the best use of your energy.”

The bullying has stopped, but my child is still struggling. What should I do?

Twiehaus said it’s normal for bullying to have long-term effects because it often produces negative internal messages in children who experience it. Therapy or even switching schools can help students move forward after bullying.

She also encourages parents to get kids involved in activities that build self-confidence or help them master a skill — playing a new sport, taking up a musical instrument, or learning to sew.

Many families report that martial arts helped their children, Ahlborg said.

“They probably will never use it against another person … but it’s just that internal feeling of growth and power,” she said.

I suspect my child may be bullying others. What signs should I look for?

Children who have friends who bully others are susceptible to bullying behavior themselves, said Collins. Other signs include frequent verbal or physical fights and unexplained belongings or money, he said.

I’ve confirmed my child is bullying others. What should I do?

Experts say it’s natural for parents to be upset when they learn their child is involved in bullying. Twiehaus said parents may want to let loose: “How could you do this? Why were you doing this? I can’t even believe this. I didn’t teach you this” — but it’s important to keep emotions in check so there can be a real conversation.

Twiehaus also cautioned that although many parents want to know why their child would bully someone, many young people, even up to 16 or 17 years old, don’t have the self-awareness to explain their actions.

Experts say parents can work with their children to understand the harm they caused, and develop empathy and kindness.

“Children who engage in bullying acts, usually there’s something going on in their life that’s uncomfortable and it’s a way to lash out and have power over somebody else,” said Ahlborg.

Addressing the root cause can help, she said. “Is there a mental health struggle? Are they struggling in school or struggling making friends? … it’s very, very common for somebody that’s been bullied to become a bully.”

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

Chicago schools that removed police officers saw slight drop in high-level discipline violations: study

2024-06-26T05:01:00+00:00

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Chicago high schools that removed police in the last few years saw a slight dip in the most serious types of student disciplinary violations, according to a new study released Wednesday.

The study, from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, comes as Chicago Public Schools plans to launch a new safety policy for the upcoming school year that will unilaterally remove school resource officers, or SROs, from all campuses.

The study’s authors looked at the district’s more than 80 CPS-run high schools, and focused on those that removed officers after the summer of 2020, when the Chicago Board of Education directed Local School Councils to decide if they wanted SROs on campus.

As of last school year, 39 high schools had on-campus police officers staffed by the Chicago Police Department, while 44 other schools had none, according to the study. Fourteen schools had voted since 2020 to remove them. The Board of Education plans to remove the remaining officers starting this fall.

The study’s authors examined different data points, such as discipline and how kids and teachers felt about their schools, before and after those campuses got rid of police officers.

“On average, on the whole, there weren’t that many changes or differences between schools that had removed SROs and schools that didn’t,” said Amy Arneson, senior research associate with the consortium. “And so the significant changes we did find were improvements.”

The authors found that schools that shed SROs saw small drops in high-level disciplinary infractions compared to the 2018-19 school year, when they still had officers. These incidents include student actions that are “very seriously” or “most seriously” disruptive or are illegal, such as threats or actual violence and anything involving alcohol, drugs, and weapons. High-level infractions generally rose across CPS between the 2018-19 and 2022-23 school years, the study said.

While schools without officers now had fewer high-level disciplinary violations compared to before the pandemic, those more serious incidents rose between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years — but not as much as schools that still had officers, the study found.

That drop could be the result of the district pushing schools to embrace alternative disciplinary practices and work on building a positive culture in school, said Jadine Chou, CPS’s chief of safety and security. She acknowledged that it’s hard to know for sure, since the study did not explore why these changes happened.

When schools first began removing police officers, the district gave them funding to use toward things such as restorative justice and hiring security guards. A separate University of Chicago study last year found that schools that implemented restorative justice practices saw fewer student arrests.

At the same time, the study notes, schools that got rid of SROs already had a relatively low number of disciplinary infractions, while schools that kept their officers had higher such incidents.

There were no significant changes, however, when considering all types of discipline or suspensions at schools that got rid of campus police, according to the study. Less serious disciplinary violations can range from running in the hall to displaying a gang affiliation or getting into a fight that results in no injuries.

Also, there were no notable differences in police notifications, which are calls made to police when a student does something that warrants police involvement, per the Student Code of Conduct. Those notifications are typically not the same as 911 calls, Arneson said.

While students across all schools reported feeling less safe after the pandemic, there were no notable changes at schools that got rid of SROs, the study found. There also were no significant differences in how safe teachers felt, as well in how much students trust their teachers.

Implementing the new plan won’t ‘be a light switch’

Earlier this year, the Chicago Board of Education directed CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to create a new school safety policy that would ban SROs from campuses, effectively stripping LSCs of the power to decide. State lawmakers proposed a bill that would allow LSCs to contract with the Chicago Police Department in order to bring officers to their schools, but that bill was stalled.

The new school safety policy, which the board is expected to vote on in July, will require teachers and staff to get more training on restorative justice practices, which are alternatives to discipline and are meant to resolve conflict. That policy also emphasizes pairing students with more mental health resources.

Chou, the CPS chief of safety and security, said the study signals that “many other things” beyond the presence of police define what makes a school feel safe and CPS will have to work to understand what those factors are as officials implement its new safety plan.

At some schools, that could simply mean improving traffic around the school. At others, it could mean partnering with the Chicago Police Department to help with arrival and dismissal because of concerns about violence in a particular neighborhood, Chou said.

“This is not going to be a light switch, turn it on and everything will fall into place,” Chou said. “We realize that we’re going to have to do a lot of community engagement to understand what those needs are, and that’s one of the biggest components of whole school safety, is the engagement aspect.”

The new policy would require every school to make its own safety plan that follows some broader guidelines, such as removing police officers and getting training in alternative discipline practices.

Dwayne Truss, a former member of the Chicago Board of Education who advocated for giving LSCs the power to make decisions about their on-campus police, said there hasn’t been enough engagement with school communities. The board should have waited to make changes to the safety policy until after this study was conducted.

“I just want to be very, very clear: I’m not pro-SRO, anti-SRO; I’m just going to be against usurping the rights of Local School Councils,” Truss said. “And this is data that you share with people and have discussions with people to help educate them on what’s the best path forward, what are some of the best practices.”

For the district’s part, it collected about 9,000 responses to its proposed new safety policy, which it created in partnership with community organizations.

There were also some distinct characteristics about schools that chose to keep their SROs versus the ones that didn’t. In the 2018-2019 school year, before the board decided to let Local School Councils remove SROs, a similar share of students across different races attended a school with at least one officer, ranging between 87 to 93%.

By the 2022-23 school year, two years after schools started removing SROs, nearly two-thirds of Black high school students attended a school with at least one SRO, while the same was true for just 29% of white and Hispanic students and 22% of Asian American students. Students with disabilities, those from low-income families, and students who were native English speakers were also more likely to be enrolled in a school with an SRO.

High schools that had more reported disciplinary infractions were more likely to choose to keep their SROs, the study found. Also, smaller schools and those that enrolled smaller shares of students from low-income families tended to keep their SROs.

Arneson said the study released Wednesday is the first of a series that will examine the district’s approach to school safety. This first piece of research looks at the impact of removing SROs, but doesn’t explain reasons behind the findings, she said. Those questions will hopefully be answered in future studies related to school safety that the team plans to publish in the future.

Arneson wasn’t surprised by the findings, which she said followed the trends of some other national studies. There are still lots of questions to explore, she said.

“Now that there’s no SROs across CPS starting next year,” she wondered, “what are the differences that we’re seeing in schools that didn’t opt in to removing them up front?”

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Chicago to change how it flags disruptive behaviors for its youngest students

2024-06-24T10:00:00+00:00

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Chicago Public Schools is overhauling how it tracks disruptive behavior by students in pre-K through second grade and how it communicates with families about such incidents.

Under student code of conduct changes the school board is slated to approve this week, schools would only flag behaviors that represent a serious safety issue, such as bringing a weapon to school. And letters alerting parents about these behaviors will no longer refer to “misconduct” and code of conduct “violations” — language district officials said stigmatized young children and failed to reflect their social-emotional development.

The proposed changes are part of a broader district move away from punitive discipline.

The district largely eliminated suspensions in pre-K through second grade a decade ago. But schools have continued to track disruptive behaviors for young students using the same six categories of severity used for older students. Under the proposed changes, the district will do away with those categories in the early grades and only monitor seven behaviors, which also include repeatedly destroying classroom property or injuring a classmate or teacher.

Benjamin McKay, director of restorative practices and student discipline support, said his team heard from educators who said it felt wrong to send letters to the family of a 5-year-old titled “Misconduct Report.”

“Parents were taking offense to that,” he told Chalkbeat. “The policy shift will be setting educators up for success, not eroding trust and pushing problematic language.”

The move comes after the school board voted earlier this year to remove police officers from schools and embrace a “whole school safety” approach that leans more heavily on restorative justice practices and other non-punitive measures. District leaders have noted that punitive discipline has disproportionately affected Black students and students with disabilities.

The proposed code of conduct changes would also more clearly spell out federal safeguards against excessively suspending all students with disabilities, which generally limit out-of-school suspensions to no more than 10 days each school year.

Chicago has almost eliminated early grade suspensions

Chicago Public Schools did away with suspensions in preschool through second grade in 2014 — with one exception. A district official who oversees networks of schools can sign off on a one-day suspension in situations when school leaders fear a student presents a danger to peers and staff.

In the school year before the change took effect, schools suspended students in those grades about 2,240 times, including 1,830 out-of-school suspensions. That was out of more than 5,000 times that students were flagged for misconduct under the student code of conduct that year.

Suspensions in the early grades plummeted in the following school years under the new policy. During the 2022-23 school year, the most recent for which data is readily available, five suspensions involved students younger than third grade.

But the district continued to report students in those early grades for misconduct. More than 2,780 were flagged in 2022-23, including about 180 in the two most serious categories, considered “major misconduct.”

In an interview with Chalkbeat, McKay said some behavior by young students does pose a serious threat to safety on campus, and it’s important that schools continue to track it and inform families about the steps their school is taking to address it. But in those early grades, it makes sense to focus on monitoring only these most serious behaviors and to communicate with parents using more neutral language that avoids words such as “misconduct.”

“Language is critically important, and that’s at the root of our changes this year,” McKay told the school board at a recent meeting to review this week’s school board agenda.

Board members applauded the proposed changes, saying the new code of conduct language better reflects the district’s values.

“We know these labels of misconduct carry through a child’s elementary and potentially high school experience,” said member Michelle Morales. “When young people aren’t labeled as ‘misconduct’ or ‘behavioral issues’ early on, I’m going to be intrigued to see what that means for the whole child and what that means for their mindset and their family’s mindset.”

Some research suggests Chicago’s shift is on the right track

A number of districts and states have also largely eliminated out-of-school suspensions for students younger than third grade. Those bans were part of a broader move away from punitive discipline in the 2010s, inspired by research showing suspensions can hurt students’ academic prospects in the long run and disproportionately affect students of color and low-income students.

But post-pandemic, some states and districts rolled back restrictions on punitive discipline amid a rise in disruptive behaviors after students returned to classrooms following school shutdowns. McKay said navigating that disruption explains why the district did not adopt the proposed code of conduct changes sooner.

Still, Chicago officials are staying the course with restorative practices.

Separately from the code of conduct revisions, Chicago’s new safety plan, which is open for public comment, eliminates school resource officers, calls for teaching students social-emotional skills, and requires training for educators on practices that reduce suspensions and expulsions. This spring, state lawmakers introduced a bill that would preserve local school council’s ability to staff police officers, arguing they are key to maintaining safety on some campuses. But the bill didn’t go anywhere during the legislative session that ended earlier this month.

One study found that after a Maryland ban on out-of-school suspensions in kindergarten through second grade, schools did not appear to experience a rise in in-school suspensions or a dip in student achievement — though racial disparities in discipline did not decrease.

Rachel Perera, a researcher at the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings, also noted a recent study that found ending early grade suspensions in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools did not affect test scores or the number of disciplinary incidents.

“Opponents of suspension bans often claim that these reforms will lead to increases in misbehavior and disruption—a claim that hasn’t borne out in the data,” Perera said, adding that the overwhelming majority of students in those early grades get suspended for non-violent infractions.

Research also stresses the importance of consistently helping schools as they shift away from more punitive discipline, she said. Studies have shown promise for restorative practice in reducing disruptive behavior, notably a 2023 University of Chicago report on the rollout of such practices in Chicago high schools.

But, Perera said, “This work also underscores the importance of investing in training and supports for schools transitioning to alternative approaches like restorative practices.”

Mila Koumpilova is Chalkbeat Chicago’s senior reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Mila at mkoumpilova@chalkbeat.org.

How do teens get into activism? New book shows they can take many paths to fight for change

2024-06-05T17:30:00+00:00

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Sonali Kohli has always liked young adult novels.

They’re fun to read. They don’t shy away from serious, or even traumatic, subjects. And they are deeply rooted in hope.

So when the California-based journalist set out to write “Don’t Wait,” her new nonfiction book out this week, she sought to capture that same sense of “realistic hope” as she shared the true stories of three young women of color fighting for change in America.

Each activist takes on an issue important to her life.

Nalleli Cobo protests the urban oil fields that sicken her and other kids in the Los Angeles neighborhood she grew up in. The campaign she launches with her mother, People Not Pozos, eventually helps shut down the oil well across from her childhood home.

When Kahlila Williams faints from dehydration at her school’s picnic, a school police officer asks if she’s having a drug overdose. The encounter spurs Williams to advocate for the removal of school police from Los Angeles Unified schools. Her work helps persuade the school board to cut the school police department’s budget and reinvest the money to hire counselors, school climate coaches, and other staff to support Black students.

Sonia Patel Banker, meanwhile, grows up in San Francisco with access to arts classes at school and private choir lessons. But when she finds out many California students don’t have access to arts education, despite a state law saying schools are supposed to provide that, she reaches out to the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California to work on their funding campaign. Her advocacy helps lead to a successful voter referendum that now requires the state to give schools extra funding for arts education.

Kohli hopes young people who read the book will be able to learn from the three girls and their different approaches to activism.

“I want people to just be able to say they learned something from it, and that it helped them engage in their community in any way — big or small,” Kohli said.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

“Don’t Wait” comes from a speech Kahlila gives to her school board. Why did you choose that as your title?

Part of writing for teens, and writing about these young women, is that I wanted to highlight their voices as much as possible. When I heard Kahlila say it at the school board meeting, I thought: This so deeply embodies what she did. She didn’t wait.

[For] adult activists, you work toward something your whole life and there are setbacks, and you keep going. But when you’re doing activism as a young person, or say in high school, you have four years, right? So there is an urgency.

It also embodies the book’s message to young people: You don’t have to wait until something horrible happens to you or someone you love. You don’t have to wait until you’re an adult. You have agency now. And if you want to effect change in your community, you can do that.

You talked with youth about what they wanted to see in a book like this. What did they share with you?

My audience was always very clear to me. I was writing to teenagers.

Some of it was: We want to see people from our community who are doing this work. [They also] wanted to see advice.

Kids wanted to know: How do you get involved in activism? If you want to change something at school, how do you do that? Is a petition around dress codes enough? What else can I do? What does activism look like? How do I know who to trust?

How did you land on the three movements you focused on in the book?

I wanted to focus on movements where the people who I was following were rooted in California, because that’s the state that I’m from.

Californians, especially Californians in the big liberal cities, see ourselves as these bastions of equity. The reality is inequity is absolutely present. And it’s insidious. So, in the place that we consider the most liberal, the most welcoming, where are the problems, and how are people fighting them here? And how can that be useful to other people around the country?

Defunding school police — that’s a movement that’s really relevant. Environmental justice was very important for me to include in the book, and environmental racism, more specifically, because a lot of the narratives we read and hear about environmental justice work tend to be focused on white folks. Arts education is something that people don’t think about as much when they think about activism, but the reality is, art is so vital to our lives.

It also depended on having a mix of young women who are doing this work, and who are doing different kinds of work, and had different paths to their work.

Sonia says she feels like arts education is being treated like a second-tier social justice issue. What did she want people to know about the value of arts education?

Where that comes up in the book is when it’s being left off of a petition, that is [called] “Counselors, Not Cops and Arts, Not Arrests.” And the ACLU attorney wants to take off the “Arts Not Arrests” part. But arts and arrests are really connected.

In her new book "Don't Wait," Sonali Kohli chronicles how Sonia Patel Banker joined an ACLU campaign to fight for expanded access to arts education in California.

When you provide students more access to education outside of what is required of them, you offer students the option to develop passion, to explore different kinds of activities, to have a safe place to work, to feel joy, to express their emotions in a healthy way. I think giving that weight is important.

Think about how much we all turned to art, in all of its forms, during the pandemic. In our darkest times, art is vital. And it has great impacts for children to have access to it.

In the book, there’s a moment where Kahlila wonders: What do I do with this bullhorn? And there’s another moment where Sonia is like, should I just email the ACLU? Why was it important to include these moments where the girls are not sure how to get started?

A lot of the narratives we hear about youth activism are very savior-y. Every generation tells the generation below them — it happened to Gen Z, and now it’s going to happen to Gen Alpha — You’re the ones who are going to save us, I’m so excited for what you’re going to do. And it’s really not fair. Lionizing kids in this way also takes away their humanity.

Internal conflict and being a little bit unsure of how to proceed is a really relatable feeling. And it’s something that a lot of kids go through. I don’t like what’s happening around me. And I do want to do something, but like, I’m not Malala. I’m not a Parkland youth.

We hear a lot about the experiences of activists who have one huge catalytic event. And then they’re activists, and that’s it, and they’re going for it, they’re out in front of hundreds of thousands of people.

But the reality is, to get to that point there’s a lot of little things. There’s being nervous, there’s not knowing what to do with a bullhorn, there’s feeling awkward, there’s missing class. Hopefully, if somebody is reading this, and they’re like: I feel really awkward going to a protest, I don’t really know anyone, they can think about Kahlila and how she dealt with it.

Activism can be disruptive to the girls’ lives. Nalleli had to change schools. Kahlila has trouble sleeping. Why did you want to show some of the mental and physical challenges of activism, alongside their victories?

I wanted a book that’s rooted in hope, but also reality. There’s a lot that’s positive about how engaging in activism impacts you as a person [and] your mental health.

There are also moments where it can be really hard. And I wanted people to see that that is something that these girls experienced, and how they dealt with it. [That] it’s okay to take a break, it’s okay to step back. It’s okay for your activism to look different than other people’s based on what your needs are.

What role did school play in the girls’ activism?

For some of them, their activism was deeply rooted in their community [and] their school. Kahlila was trying to get police off of her campus. For some of them, it was about the home, and the home being safe. Part of Nalleli’s work also is about getting oil wells away from schools. Sonia sought out this work outside of her school, and realized that she had access to so much art, in and out of school, and others didn’t.

But I do think that school-based movement work is a very large part of student activism. Organizations like Students Deserve, which Kahlila is a part of, are deeply rooted in school and also in corrective data-gathering.

Kohli's book documents how student activist Kahlila Williams (wearing mask) advocated to remove police from Los Angeles schools and reinvest the savings in academic and mental health support.

Before I started the book, I was covering [Los Angeles Unified School District] and there were reports from Students Deserve at a bunch of different schools of school police pepper spraying kids on and right off of campus. LA’s school police department is subject to public records laws. So we asked them to tell us how many instances they’d had of pepper spray in the last year [or so], and they told me none!

And I said: Okay, well, what about this day? I have a video. And this day, at this time? And that existed because [of] these students, who started their activism in their schools, and then met as a collective, [and] realized that this was happening at multiple places. And then, all of a sudden, [the school police department said]: Oh, yeah! Actually, we do have reports of that.

Each of the girls is a leader in her activism work. But they also turn to adults for support. What would be helpful for teachers, parents, and mentors to keep in mind about the different ways they can support young people in their activism?

These girls each have a question, or they have an experience, or they have a problem. And they seek out adults to support them. The support tends to be along the lines of: Here’s how you can find the information you need for yourself. And here are some things that people do to address these problems.

In Nalleli’s case, her mom is the most grassroots of organizers. Her mother and other mothers were calling authorities to come and get the air quality checked [where they lived] because their children were having extreme health effects [from a nearby oil-drilling site]. And then that became a passion for Nalleli, also, as a child, to speak up for herself.

I think that agency is really important, and creating scaffolding and support so that young people can have that agency.

[That can mean] arming kids with the skills to do their own research and fact-check, and not putting down their sources of information, but rather empowering them to get more.

Kalyn Belsha is a senior national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

CPS principal, staff stymied police investigation of mass shooting at Pilsen high school, emails, interviews show

2024-05-31T19:18:00+00:00

This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project.

For three critical hours after four students were shot, two fatally, at Benito Juarez High School, the school principal and some staffers threw up roadblocks to the police investigation and weeks later had to be threatened with grand jury subpoenas to spur their cooperation, the Illinois Answers Project has learned.

Detectives on the scene of the mass shooting that happened just before Christmas 2022 quickly learned the four victims and the suspected shooter were all current or former CPS students and asked to view school surveillance video, to interview a student witness who’d given information to school officials, and sought access to other records relating to the students involved.

But at most every turn, according to public documents and police sources, school principal Juan Carlos Ocon and other administrators told detectives that cooperating would violate CPS policy, and they insisted on checking with their legal department.

The delays — which have never been previously reported — cost investigators invaluable time to interview witnesses and gather physical evidence, law enforcement sources said. Police arrested a 16-year-old about eight weeks later in connection with the mass shooting after they saw him leaving a stolen car with a rifle. But between the slayings at Juarez and his arrest, he is suspected of taking part in another shooting, authorities said. He has pleaded not guilty in the Juarez shooting, and his defense attorney pointed to the delay in his arrest to question the strength of the case. Illinois Answers is not naming the teen since he was a juvenile at the time of the shooting.

Interviews with Chicago police and CPS sources and a review of thousands of pages of police and school records and emails, many of them heavily redacted, paint a scene of chaos at the site of the Juarez shooting and show how sharp disagreements quickly developed between officers and the school’s award-winning principal, Ocon.

Police told Ocon and CPS’ chief of safety and security, Jadine Chou, that the emergency of the shooting warranted their cooperation, and the disagreement set off a back-and-forth between high-ranking officials in both agencies that would stretch over months.

While police discussed having Ocon charged with obstruction of justice, they eventually decided not to, and CPS never disciplined Ocon, records show.

Benito Juarez High School Principal Juan Carlos Ocon

In an interview with Illinois Answers, Chou disputed the duration of the delays in cooperation, as outlined in emails at the time from the CPD’s chief of detectives and investigators on the scene. She argued police eventually got access to the surveillance video and information given to the principal that day by a school employee.

“It is incomprehensible that anyone would think that we, anyone else, me, anyone around me, would want to do anything to block … would block or delay or forestall progress on an investigation,” Chou said.

A CPS spokeswoman said there’d been no findings of wrongdoing, but records show the agency never conducted a comprehensive after-action review of what happened.

“It’s because when we sat down to talk about it, it was this: (CPD had) the information, you had the camera, you had access to the camera,” Chou said. “What’s … the after action? You know what, we could both do better on the clarification of the guidelines.”

Tension between the police and CPS has existed for years over the reporting of violence on school grounds and how and when police can arrest students involved in violent crime. One investigator described CPS as viewing itself as a “non-extraditable Vatican within the city of Chicago.”

But even among police officials accustomed to dealing with CPS during investigations, the degree of resistance they encountered at Juarez stood out, law enforcement sources said.

The dispute spurred CPS to consider changes in how it deals with police when violent crimes happen on school grounds, involving students. And it appears as if cooperation between the two agencies has improved in recent months, through an informal agreement, with police quickly getting access to critical information in two Chicago school shootings. But 17 months after the Juarez slayings, CPS officials have not created any formal policy or update but say they expect to have one finalized before the 2024 school year — about 21 months after the shooting.

At least some of the disagreement stems from an apparent misreading of federal and state law governing the release of student records.

Chou said in the interview that she spoke to CPS counsel from the scene of the shooting. A high-ranking CPS lawyer, Ruchi Verma, recounted in a CPS email that she told Chou: “if there is an active shooter situation … information could be disclosed. No one informed us that there was an active shooter situation.”

But district policy, state law, federal law, and training documents circulated within CPS all allow school officials to cooperate with police during “health and safety” emergencies, and none set the threshold for cooperation as high as active shooter situations. Verma, who is now the district’s general counsel, didn’t respond to a request for comment.

A national expert on the applicable federal law said in an interview with Illinois Answers that school officials should have cooperated with police.

“What you just described would clearly be a health safety emergency exception. If there’s a shooter, they don’t have him apprehended, give them whatever they want. I don’t know if they didn’t understand that at the school,” said LeRoy Rooker, who served for 21 years as director of the Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office. “It doesn’t matter what it was — they can give any of that stuff to law enforcement if it’s a health or safety emergency.”

A CPS spokesman said CPS officials on the scene provided information to police on “an ongoing basis.”

After about three hours, the school’s principal shared information about the former student suspected in the shooting, and police were eventually able to get video from the city’s 911 center. By the time Chicago police started getting at least some information, top brass scheduled a news conference at the district police station nearby. Police sources described this news conference as an attempt to present a unified front between CPS and the police despite the conflicts.

Much remains unknown about the afternoon of the shooting because CPS, CPD, and other city agencies have either denied access to records detailing the investigation or have released only heavily redacted versions. Sources in each agency spoke on the condition they not be identified, citing agency rules forbidding media interviews and fearing retribution.The Chicago Police Department declined to make any of its officials available for interviews and declined to answer questions about the mass shooting investigation.

Even that night, after some of the disputes were resolved, police had doubts about CPS continuing to provide what they needed. A timeline of the investigation shared among homicide division supervisors shows police still were uncertain whether video existed from a CPS camera near the shooting.

Those doubts proved well-founded. Ocon didn’t respond to detectives for weeks after the shooting, and other CPS staff ignored requests for interviews, records show. Frustrated with the pace of cooperation, detectives resorted to running parts of their investigation through the police department’s chief attorney, who sent requests for evidence to her counterpart at CPS.

In early January, a sergeant in the detective division told the department’s top attorney, Dana O’Malley, that some CPS staff continued to ignore detectives and that the principal still hadn’t turned over a school document detectives had been seeking for weeks. At one point, a homicide detective, John Korolis, sent Ocon an email telling him he could get a grand jury subpoena if Ocon didn’t start returning his voicemail messages.

An email from the lead detective on the Juarez shooting, John Korolis, to the Juarez High School Principal Juan Carlos Ocon.

Almost three weeks had passed since the shooting.

Afternoon of the shooting

At 2:35 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2022, the dismissal bell rang at Benito Juarez Community Academy in Pilsen. Dozens of students and staff lingered in a courtyard outside the school near a pedestrian overpass, according to prosecutors at the initial court appearance of the teen charged in the shooting. Informally, it’s near an area known as “the rock.”

A few minutes after dismissal, a girl was standing with some students lingering outside. She walked over to another group of teens nearby where she ran into a 16-year-old boy who’d been expelled from Juarez for attendance and behavior problems, according to prosecutors. Someone mentioned that there were La Raza gang members in the group she had been standing with.

The girl returned to those teens and warned them that the former student was there “to cause trouble” and that they should leave.

At 2:38 p.m., the former student asked one of the victims if he was a La Raza gang member and then fired at least eight rounds from a .357 handgun, hitting three boys and a girl described as an “unintended target,” authorities said.

Students scattered. A security guard witnessed the shooting and briefly ran after the gunman while a passing motorist tried to point the guard in the right direction. At least one witness took a photo of the armed teen standing over a victim and then chased the gunman before losing sight of him.

At 2:40 p.m, police arrived to find the four victims. The two students who died, Nathan Billegas, 14, and Brandon Perez, 15, were both shot in the head, records show. Billegas was a student at Bulls College Prep, and Perez a student at Juarez.

A 15-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl were also shot, and both survived. The girl had a graze wound to her thigh. The boy had a gunshot wound to his shoulder and thigh. The witness — who’d walked between the groups — wasn’t wounded.

Perez died at 3:06 p.m.

At 3:10 p.m., a teacher emailed the principal and other administrators to let them know 25 students and two other staff members were taking shelter in his classroom.

“I know you are all busy right now but just wanted to let you know. The staff and I are doing our best to take care of them,” he wrote.

Billegas died at 3:17 p.m. At 3:27 p.m., police lifted the school’s lockdown.

Nathan Billegas, 14, left, and Brandon Perez, 15, were shot and killed just after dismissal on Dec. 16, 2022, outside Juarez High School in the Pilsen neighborhood.

The moments after shootings are often when they are solved — or not. It’s when memories are fresh and when witnesses are most likely to talk. The longer it takes for detectives to track down witnesses, the more difficult it can be to get them to cooperate.

Time is critical, too, in gathering evidence for an arrest and prosecution before it can be altered or destroyed: the gun involved in the crime, clothing to compare to security footage, gunshot residue tests, a cell phone.

Detectives expected cooperation because they were investigating a school shooting that resulted in two dead students and two wounded students. It didn’t appear to be an “active shooter,” but police operated under the belief that someone who shoots four people in a school courtyard remains an ongoing threat because they haven’t been arrested.

The police department’s chief of detectives, Brendan Deenihan, outlined difficulties detectives encountered in an email to police department attorneys the next morning.

While detectives were at the school, they believed a student witness “provided a name of the shooter” to a school staffer. Detectives saw the staffer give a CPS photo of the named shooter to Ocon, according to the email.

Police investigate the crime scene outside Juarez High School on Dec. 16, 2022, where four students were shot, two fatally.

Chou said that after the shooting, the witness and a guardian were in the room where police would have been able to view surveillance footage, and the guardian had told CPS they didn’t want to talk to police. Chou said no detective ever told her they wanted to speak with the guardian. But law enforcement sources said officers did ask CPS staff to speak to the guardian and were denied access.

Police weren’t allowed inside the room because the guardian and witness were in there, and school officials didn’t want to let the family leave the room because the police were outside, Chou said.

Eighteen hours after the shooting, detectives were still trying to identify the student witness and the CPS staffer who gave the principal the piece of paper with the named shooter’s photo, according to the email sent by Deenihan. ”Efforts are on-going to identify and interview both the student who may [have] witnessed the incident and provided the offender’s name and the faculty member who provided this information to the (principal),” Deenihan wrote. In the following days, detectives spoke to the witness, who was cooperative.

As for the paper handed to Ocon, he “continually refused and resisted in providing this information to the (detectives) citing it was against CPS policy. After several hours the (principal) subsequently forwarded this information to the assigned personnel,” Deenihan wrote. Chou said a CPS attorney told her not to release the record, because it was from the school’s record keeping system, but said it would be OK to write down the information and share it with detectives, which she did. Chou said detectives left but later returned and said they needed the actual record for evidence.

And it was only after weeks of back-and-forth and a threatened subpoena before detectives got the document, according to emails.

Detectives also were unable to get video from the school, Deenihan wrote.

“Initially the school faculty (principle and CPS Security personnel) refused to provide the assigned personnel any video surveillance of the incident,” Deenihan wrote.

Deenihan wrote detectives were able to view the video after “three hours” and pulled video from the city’s 911 center that night. Chou said detectives should have just gone to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications in the first place, which is how detectives often pull video from incidents at or near CPS property because they can pull from nearby cameras that aren’t part of the CPS system.

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, whose 25th Ward encompasses the high school, was at the scene of the shooting early on and said he recalled CPS officials telling him and detectives that CPS couldn’t show them the video because legal counsel advised against it. His account mirrors that of police sources familiar with the investigation, who said CPS denied officers access to the video.

Sigcho-Lopez said he didn’t see a sense of urgency from CPS in giving police access to video and information for their investigation. And though he’s one of the most vocal critics of the police on the City Council, he said that “has to be put aside on this.”

“Look, it’s an emergency, we need to see that video footage, you know. And look I got my own perceptions here,” Sigcho-Lopez said in an interview with Illinois Answers. “Politics aside, at that point to me, that was a priority right? To say, look, we need to solve this immediately.”

Within about 30 minutes of police beginning to get information, police and district officials announced a news conference at the Near West district police station. Before it started, someone from the police department’s News Affairs office told Supt. David Brown that he might be asked about issues with CPS cooperation. “Yeah, I’ll handle it,” Brown said. Brown didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.

Sure enough, a reporter soon asked about the quality of cooperation from CPS. Brown dismissed the question and did so again after the reporter asked him to clarify.

Jadine Chou, center, CPS’ chief of safety and security, speaks at a news conference after the Juarez shooting in 2022. She is joined by then-Chicago Police Supt. David Brown, left, and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez.

Reporter 1: Speaking of video we’re hearing from sources that the school has not turned over video. Is there any comment on that or the reasoning why there might be?

Brown: So again speculation and just, just not appropriate.

Reporter 1: But there is not — you all said POD and private video — there is not the video from the school, correct ?

Brown: So again you talk about your sources, I don’t know who those people are. We’re just starting our investigation so I think it would be irresponsible to, to …

Reporter 1: But to confirm there is ...

Brown: No, we’re not confirming your source information. We, what we’re saying is we’re just starting this video gathering, and we’re just starting the investigation any speculation would just be inappropriate.

Reporter 2: These are kids leaving school on a Friday who just got shot, two of them killed. I mean – this should never happen.

Brown: We haven’t confirmed any information about the victims, so it would just be conjecture on your part, or your sources’ part, that the victims are students. As soon as we know that we will share that information.

Contrary to Brown’s statements, police knew the victims were students and that there was a dispute over access to CPS video.

A Chicago Tribune reporter later asked a CPS spokesperson about “rumors” he had heard of the district’s failure to cooperate. An agency spokeswoman insisted that CPS was “cooperating with CPD, as always. ”By about 10 p.m. the day of the shooting, CPS provided a photo of the former student. Detectives warned other officers that the suspect “should be considered armed and dangerous.”

Video surveillance footage released by Chicago police shows the alleged gunman fleeing Juarez High School after the shooting.

As it turned out, the boy was well-known to the police; one officer had encountered him at least four times.

Detectives also asked the crime lab to rush its comparison of shell casings recovered from the Juarez shooting with casings from another murder scene earlier in the year since they suspected the same weapon was used in both crimes.

Amid chaos, CPS braces for new school week

The week following the shooting was chaotic. School officials had to find counselors for students because at least a few dozen of them witnessed or were within earshot of their classmates being murdered, and dozens more knew the victims.

School officials needed to assure students and their parents that returning to school was safe. Some students didn’t return until after winter break. Others never returned.

One student emailed a student advocate and said they wouldn’t be coming to school because they feared for their safety. Another student emailed a teacher, who removed the student’s name from the email and shared it with Ocon:

“I got told that one of the kids who got shot was part of a gang and apparently they’re going to show up tomorrow for ‘revenge.’ I’m just saying so that there can be extra security. I don’t know if this is true but either way I wanted to let you know since you’re someone that I can trust. But please, don’t tell anyone that it was me who told you.”

One of the concerns shared by students: Social media posts threatened retaliation for the shooting and warned kids not to wear colors of the La Raza street gang that at least one of the four victims was affiliated with. School and police officials soon learned of the threat, and CPS asked for extra officers near the school during the week and adjusted dismissal time.

On the morning after the shooting, a Saturday, Deenihan emailed two CPD attorneys about issues he was having with CPS.

About the same time, he asked detectives to forward what they found about CPS policy and said he’d raise the issue with CPD’s attorneys.

“I thought you mentioned you reviewed CPS policy (online) which stated there is an exception to sharing information for a Public Safety incident. If any of you have the policy, can you please share? I am going to set up a meeting with the Lawyers next week, and move on this topic ASAP,” Deenihan wrote. “We will eventually have a school shooting inside a school,” Deenihan wrote. “CPS can’t out a 3 hour delay with sharing information.”

A Dec. 17, 2022 email from then-Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan to officers involved in the Juarez shooting investigation.

A detective supervisor responded to Deenihan with a summary of state and federal law, and of CPS’ own policies. Deenihan thanked them and said he’d raise the issue with the police department’s lawyers.

“This does help. I will share with Legal Affairs and have them review case law,” Deenihan wrote. “Thanks to all for being professional even when our counterparts may not have done so.”

Email from then-Chief of Detectives Brendan Deeniham to officers involved in the Juarez shooting investigation.

On the following Monday, Chicago Police Department General Counsel Dana O’Malley followed up on Deenihan’s concerns, emailing CPS General Counsel Joe Moriarty, to discuss “an issue with CPS and CPD.”

O’Malley later asked her counterpart at CPS what they tell principals about sharing information with police.

“As we discussed, CPD’s immediate concern is what happens if we have an active shooter and need information on the spot to save lives,” she wrote.

Moriarty shared the powerpoint presentation that CPS’ law office provides to principals. It shows the principal and other CPS administrators could have shared information at the scene.

One slide said: “Federal and state law allow the disclosure of student information in connection with an emergency, to appropriate persons if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.”

An informal resolution

The problems came to a head, and then a resolution, in January. On Jan. 1, a supervisor in the detective division compiled a list of student and faculty witnesses for the chief CPD attorney and a detective division commander.

“Some staff have also not provided responses to our questions citing a need to contact CPS Legal or have ignored our requests for interview,” the sergeant wrote. “Some of these staff members are witnesses and others have never been interviewed. Additionally, as of this date the principal, Juan Ocon, has not turned over the evidence containing the directory information given to him the day of the incident.”

One day later, Korolis, the lead detective in the case, emailed Ocon threatening him with a subpoena if he didn’t begin to cooperate:

“I have left numerous voice messages for you and have received no response to date,” he wrote. " With the tragic homicides of these two young Chicago Public Schools students, it’s imperative that we have cooperation from your Juarez High School team. My partner and I need to interview you and your staff at your school post-haste. I have contacted the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office and they are involved with this investigation. If you are more comfortable with a subpoena to appear, let me know.”

On Jan. 5, about three weeks after the shooting, Chou, CPS’ chief of safety and security, emailed Korolis and provided records of student attendance for the date of the shooting and mentioned that she spoke to the principal, who was “able to locate the folded paper you were asking about and he indicated that he made you aware.”

Chou said in an interview with Illinois Answers that the dispute over interviewing Ocon and other staff didn’t take into account that he and staff were on Christmas break, and that Ocon may have turned off his phone when going out of town.

“He left the city, he was on time off, and he’s entitled to that. I don’t know when they were calling him. I asked him myself … did you avoid returning phone calls? Did you ignore phone calls? He said he did not ignore phone calls,” Chou said.

“There was a big block of vacation time in between there where, a principal who witnessed this and … and needed time and again … a lot of people took off their work phones and I don’t think that should be held against him.”

Ocon declined to comment.

More than two weeks after Korolis emailed the principal, subpoenas were issued for three CPS staffers. Detectives met with Ocon and other school officials just after school resumed in January, more than three weeks after the shooting.

As detectives were arranging grand jury testimony for the three CPS staffers, Chou, the school district’s chief of safety and security, pushed an effort to address what happened at Juarez.

Chou circulated a document described as “draft guidance” that pertained to school-level sharing of information.

“We would like to provide clear guidance to school leaders on info sharing and other interactions with CPD,” Chou wrote. “Based on feedback from Principals and recent experiences in the field, there is a need to codify and clarify this guidance … due to the urgency, if possible, would ask for your feedback (by tomorrow).”

The document, Chou said, will include examples of what constitutes an emergency and other clarifying information. As police and school officials were trading input on the policy in February, the 16-year-old suspect in the shooting was arrested at home. Police working in unmarked cars saw the boy run into his home with a rifle and called the department’s SWAT team and told them he was “the possible offender from a homicide.” He surrendered after the SWAT team’s Bearcat truck arrived, about 3:40 p.m. His family declined to let officers search the home, and a judge signed a warrant about 9:40 p.m., and officers cleared the home and turned it over to a search team about an hour later.

After weeks of working on a fix with input from the Chicago Police Department, progress stopped, except for Chou checking back with Chicago Police into the fall of 2023. It appears police officials never responded to her requests to finish drafting the policy.

Police sources said the two agencies have come to an informal arrangement. Detectives encountered no resistance after shootings at two high schools in late January where students were victims at Senn and Innovations high schools.

Still, 17 months after the shooting, Sigcho-Lopez said it wasn’t appropriate that CPS never conducted any broad internal review of the way its employees responded to the shooting.

“There has to be an evaluation,” he said.

“What went wrong, internally here? Why [did it take] so long? Why? Because, you know, time is of the essence, right? So, I don’t think that CPS can say, in my opinion, that they did everything they could,” Sigcho-Lopez said.

Peter Nickeas joined the Illinois Answers Project as an investigative reporter in 2023. You can reach him at pnickeas@bettergov.org.

Candles light up a memorial site outside Juarez High School on Dec. 16, 2023, one year after the shooting.

How a new musical hopes to spotlight NYC student experiences with school safety

2024-05-30T22:24:13+00:00

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A new musical in Brooklyn will spotlight the stories of students navigating policing in New York City public schools.

Written and directed by Jess McLeod, an artist-in-residence at the New York Civil Liberties Union, “SAFE” will have two June 1 performances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The roughly 50-minute show is based on interviews with students from across the five boroughs, and will follow students across a single school day. “SAFE” aims to demonstrate the potential harms of excessive policing in the city’s schools.

Debates over New York City school safety can be divisive. Some students argue police are ill-equipped to defuse tension and conflicts in schools, as tensions between students and officers can often be fraught. Advocates have also long pointed to data showing Black and Latino students can be disproportionately subjected to police interventions in the city’s schools.

But proponents of school safety agents and other measures, like metal detectors, have argued they are essential for maintaining order. In the past, students, parents, and educators have generally reported on annual school surveys that the agents help keep schools safe and respectful, though children at predominantly Black schools were less likely to agree.

Some students and advocates have also criticized the use of metal detectors in schools — arguing the technology can be invasive and detrimental to students. It’s an issue that the musical will tackle, giving audience members insight into student perspectives on how these machines impact their time at school. About 100,000 students in the city encounter metal detectors at school each day — a majority of which are students of color — according to the NYCLU.

The “SAFE” cast and production team feature an array of theater veterans, including McLeod, who previously worked on “Hamilton” and other stage productions.

Tickets to the event are available for free, but those who wish to attend one of the two Saturday performances must RSVP online. Seats will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, and those who wish to attend should plan to arrive 45 to 60 minutes prior to the 3 p.m and 7 p.m. start times, according to organizers.

Although only two performances are currently scheduled, McLeod is hopeful there may be future interest in additional productions — potentially even in schools.

Chalkbeat spoke with McLeod, as well as NYCLU Center for Education Policy Director Johanna Miller, about the upcoming musical.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Talk to me broadly about “SAFE.” Why were you interested in telling this story? How does the format of a musical lend itself to this issue?

Miller: Our goal is to bring the student experience to life for adults — parents, teachers, and especially policymakers — who very often see metal detectors as either a small inconvenience or a necessary evil. But what students tell us is that the metal detector experience is neither minor nor necessary. It’s not a thing that makes them feel safe, but it is something that adds a huge amount of complication into their day. And it’s really not the same experience of an adult going through a metal detector in an office building or in the airport. It’s a very different experience.

So by using this artistic medium, we can really put you in the shoes of a young person in a way that me, as a lawyer at the NYCLU, I can never truly get you to inhabit that space.

McLeod: I am always interested in art that gives the mic to whoever seems to not have the mic, and on this particular issue, it really seems like so many decisions are being made about student safety in schools, but none of those decisions include the students. No one is asking them what they need.

This was an opportunity to spend a year doing interviews and focus groups with students from all five boroughs who attend New York City public high schools with a significant police presence, and ask them to define safety. How does having metal detectors and school safety agents make you feel? Does it make you feel more safe? And then to make that question open-ended, and say, “What would make you feel safe?”

Something we did in these focus groups was take giant Jenga blocks and have the students each take one and write down a building block of their dream school. They say things like: “One-on-one follow ups,” multiple social workers,” “jobs,” “food,” “health care,” “early postsecondary planning,” “community events.” They say things like: “Attention,” “guidance counselors,” “breaks between classes” — needs that I would call rather basic, and physical, as well as psychological and emotional.

We took all the items on those Jenga blocks and we made them into a song called “Dream School.” That’s how we end the show. It’s just a group of students sitting and fooling around with a guitar, talking about what a dream school might look like.

New York City is home to the nation’s largest school system, and students can experience the school system in vastly different ways. How do you tackle that in the musical? Can you talk further about the kinds of characters you chose to bring into this performance?

Miller: There is a huge diversity in New York City public schools and a gigantic spectrum of experiences. However, police and the police apparatus are heavily concentrated in not that many schools. There are 1,800 schools in New York City, we believe about 110 of them have metal detectors. So already we’re looking at a very small proportion of the entire district, and in those schools, there are about 100,000 students — almost entirely those are students who are Black and brown.

It’s simply not the way that we treat white students in New York City or frankly, anywhere. So we actually are dealing with a very pervasive experience among Black and brown students in New York City, but within the larger district, it’s a pretty small proportion of students.

McLeod: In creating the characters, this is where the research part of it was both qualitative — we did a day of focus groups and interviews and collected anecdotes and stories from students — and also quantitative. We had 700 students from all five boroughs answer questions to be able to collect some data as well.

Taking all of that and synthesizing it, we’ve constructed a show that follows two main protagonists, Zyniah and Fredo, and they both get pulled out for pat-downs in their respective schools at the top of the day, and then we follow them through their days. They get treated in very different ways. One of them gets encouragement and care and support from a teacher that shapes their day in a certain way. One of them gets treated harshly, and that student ends up lashing out. So we watch the domino effect of that pat-down on those two individual students’ days.

While that’s happening — because we wanted to show as broad a swath of students as possible — we also cut back to this group of four students. We get to know them in between main scenes, and they are talking through headlines, and about the way they’re being portrayed. And they’re asking each other questions, like: When did the school safety agents show up? How many do you have in your school? What’s actually going on? They’ll often ask questions that the next scene answers.

And we have a very diverse cast. We have a half Black cast, as well Latinx actors. So we’re ensuring that we’re being true to who attends the schools that have the most significant police presence.

What do you hope audiences will take away from this performance?

Miller: I hope that audiences will walk away with a better understanding of how non-police interventions can be successful. There’s often a lot of skepticism that an adult in the school building a healthy relationship with a kid and checking in with them in a relational or restorative way could actually work. But actually, the research supports that it does.

In fact, there is no research supporting that metal detectors made schools any safer. I want people to walk out the door thinking, “Have we asked the right questions about police apparatus?” Have we actually asked, “Does this have a negative impact on children? And are we doing enough to boost up the things that we know work?”

The play does an amazing job of showing how positive interventions work and why they work. You get to see it actually happening on stage — and it’s straight out of the focus groups — how that type of intervention works to make a kid have a better, safer, and calmer day.

McLeod: I hope parents and adults and everyone who works in a school walks away thinking about whether or not they are allowing students to be part of the solution.

We’re all in a sort of general mental health crisis post-pandemic, but I think especially the public high school students of New York are in a very specific post-pandemic mental health crisis where they experience a lot of whiplash in learning styles, in their environment switching around. A lot of them changed schools, or went to high school, or were leaving high school during that time. Many of their extracurricular activities experienced cuts.

In general, I think they’ve returned to a stricter, more militaristic school environment, and that’s something we should question.

Julian Shen-Berro is a reporter covering New York City. Contact him at jshen-berro@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Public School awards $12M contract for new AI camera system aimed at keeping schools safe

2024-05-03T21:58:13+00:00

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More than 7,000 cameras equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities will be installed in Newark schools, under a $12 million contract approved Thursday by the Newark Board of Education.

District officials say the high-tech surveillance system is meant to make schools safer, but security experts warn that systems with such capabilities could result in an invasion of privacy or could potentially misidentify items or students.

Turn-Key Technologies Inc., based in Sayreville, N.J., will install the cameras and their required servers and storage across schools this summer as part of a two-year contract. Approving the contract was “time-sensitive,” said Valerie Wilson, Newark’s school business administrator, as district officials want the 7,700 cameras – roughly one for every five students – in place by Aug. 31, before the start of the new school year.

The project will be funded in part by federal COVID relief dollars, specifically, American Rescue Plan dollars that expire at the end of September, in conjunction with local funds and grants, Wilson added.

Board member Vereliz Santana said the project was “comprehensive and ambitious” and asked for routine updates as installation begins in June. Other members raised questions about how the system would work to detect vaping.

“It’s a large bid, as you can see from the funds that are being allocated, but we want to make effective use of our federal funding,” said Wilson during Thursday’s meeting.

The new system comes as city leaders and advocates call for measures to reduce violence among youth in Newark.

The city will begin enforcing a youth curfew on Friday. The rule is in response to an increase in youth violence, said Mayor Ras Baraka last week, which includes two shooting incidents this school year. In November, a 15-year-old Central High School student was shot during a drive-by and in March, another two students were shot outside West Side High School.

Turn-Key’s new system will expand the district’s surveillance capabilities, going beyond its current camera system to detect weapons and track people and cars across schools by using license plate and facial recognition. Last year, Newark schools said new technology was needed because its current security set-up is “outdated, inefficient,” pointing to no remote access, storage, and other limitations.

In May 2023, the district said it expected to install cameras by the end of that year after requesting bids from surveillance technology companies in September 2023. But the installation was delayed for almost a year after bidders did not meet the New Jersey Alarm or Locksmith License requirement, prompting the district to revise its project specifications and request bids for a second time in April 2024, Wilson said.

In addition to upgrading the district’s surveillance technology, the new setup will use an Avigilon surveillance system, a type of framework that allows Newark to expand its systems as security needs change or develop, said Jermaine Wilson, a senior research engineer at IPVM, a security and surveillance research group.

That system will work with HALO sensors that can detect vape, gun sounds, and abnormal noise in areas where there are no cameras such as bathrooms, according to the district’s request for proposal.

“I want to be very clear to everybody that in no way shape or form will this result in an invasion of privacy of anyone’s students, staff, or otherwise,” Wilson said. “Cameras and devices will not and cannot be placed in areas that are not approved and authorized.”

The contract was approved by all school board members except Crystal Williams who abstained from voting. During the Thursday meeting, board member Josephine Garcia said vaping in schools is an issue the district has “been battling and sounding the alarm on for quite some time.” She requested clarification on the type of vape sensors that will be used in schools, an explanation that would be given during the board’s private operations committee meeting this month due to security concerns, Wilson said.

“So as we talk about our safety and security initiatives, we want to ensure that we do not provide all of our information in the public domain,” Wilson added.

Superintendent Roger León said the district is in conversation with the city’s Office of Emergency Management “about a number of things” that are set to take place this coming school year. He would share more information with the public “once those initiatives are in effect,” León added.

Wilson also said city police officials would not have access to the system, which includes cameras inside and outside of school buildings and other district locations.

The district has spent millions to increase security over the years. The school district installed metal detectors to scan students for contraband and weapons and added six new patrol cars for school safety officers. It also provided its security guards with training on bag scanners, active shooter response, and the district’s drug and alcohol policy. Newark plans to hire more security guards and update its software to track school incidents.

Thursday’s contract was approved during May’s reorganization meeting where Haynes, Santana, Helena Vinhas, and Kanileah Anderson were sworn in after winning this year’s school board election. Hasani Council was chosen as board president, along with Santana and Allison James-Frison as co-vice presidents.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Where Tennessee lawmakers landed on vouchers, guns, AI, and other education issues in 2024

2024-04-29T10:00:00+00:00

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Tennessee’s legislature is done for the year after a session marked by political infighting over private school vouchers and emotional debates about whether teachers and staff should be able to carry a gun in public schools.

The statewide voucher proposal fizzled after the Senate and House couldn’t agree on the specifics. Gov. Bill Lee quickly pledged to come back next year with another plan.

The bill to arm some school employees easily passed, defying dramatic protests at the state Capitol, a year after a Nashville school shooting in which three children, three adults, and the intruder were killed.

“This was a session of good, bad, and ugly,” Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari said after the legislature adjourned on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, some really really bad bills ended up passing,” the Memphis Democrat added.

Republican leaders hailed the four-month session as a success.

“We accomplished things that will benefit the people of this state,” the governor told reporters minutes after the gavel fell.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee speaks with reporters at the close of the 2024 legislative session on April 25. He's flanked by the General Assembly's Republican leaders.

He cited the passage of a “historically important budget” that includes a consolation prize of $144 million for his Education Freedom Scholarship Act, in case it passes in future years. The failed voucher proposal seeks to give taxpayer money to any family who wants to send their children to private schools, regardless of their income.

“That shows a clear intent that we believe in this concept and that we expect that to get done next year,” Lee said.

By the end of the week, the governor had signed the bill to let some school employees carry guns, which took effect immediately.

The new law marks the biggest expansion of gun access in Tennessee since the killings at The Covenant School. Last year, the legislature appropriated $140 million to help place an armed officer in every public school, but many districts, especially in rural areas, haven’t been able to hire an officer for every campus.

“Districts have the option to choose,” Lee said earlier, arguing that some school systems need to let some employees carry a concealed handgun.

Protesters stage a "die-in" on the rotunda floor at the Tennessee State Capitol outside of the House chambers on April 23, 2024, after state lawmakers passed a bill to let certain teachers and school staff carry handguns in schools.

Legislation at the intersection of schools and guns

Lawmakers sorted through some 230-plus education bills filed in time for this year’s session — about 300 if you count those left over from last year in the two-year General Assembly. They ultimately passed about 70 that directly affect K-12 education.

For the second straight year, they made tweaks to a 2021 reading and retention law to address what many called unintended effects for students in grades three and four. Under a compromise approved on the last day of session, parents and educators of fourth graders will now have input on whether their students get held back because of low reading scores on state tests.

The legislature rejected tighter gun laws sought by Democrats and gun control advocates, and continued instead to pass legislation aimed at fortifying campuses. Among the initiatives: new school fire alarm protocols to take into account active-shooter situations; a pilot program to give teachers wearable alarms; increased safety training for school bus drivers; and guidelines to digitize school maps so first responders can access school layouts quickly in an emergency.

A rare bipartisan bill increases the penalty for anyone who threatens to commit an act of mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity.

Another measure, which Lee has signed into law, requires public schools to teach children age-appropriate firearms safety concepts as early as pre-kindergarten. The video-based training is to begin in the 2025-26 school year and, among other things, will instruct students who find a firearm that they shouldn’t touch it and should notify an adult immediately. The bill bars parents from opting their children out of the training.

So-called culture war issues played prominently again

One new law requires public school students to watch a video on fetal development produced by an anti-abortion group, or something comparable. Another measure will require public school employees to out transgender students to their parents. But a bill designed to ban LGBTQ+ flags in schools failed in the Senate amid concerns of a legal challenge based on First Amendment rights.

Tennessee’s age-appropriate materials law, championed by Lee in 2022 to cull certain titles from school libraries, now includes a definition of “suitable” materials for certain ages and maturity levels. And if a local school board doesn’t address a book complaint within 60 days, the complainant can now take the issue straight to the state textbook commission.

Another GOP bill that passed seeks to make sure that material related to “sexual activity” is excluded from the state’s mandatory family life curriculum for students in kindergarten through the fifth grade.

Meanwhile, legislation sponsored by Democrats directs the state education department to develop a program that public schools can use to teach students the skills of nonviolent conflict resolution.

Lawmakers exit the House of Representatives at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville on April 25 after adjourning their two-year session.

Social media and technology also were on the minds of lawmakers.

They signed off on legislation requiring minors to have parental consent to create social media accounts.

In addition, school districts, charter schools, and higher-education institutions must develop and implement their own policies on the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom, if they haven’t already done so. Those policies could include restricting or outright prohibiting the use of AI.

Amid that discussion, one bill requires that Tennessee history be taught in fifth grade. Having that issue codified in state law settles, for now, a debate that erupts whenever the state revises its academic standards for social studies.

Memphis was the focus of more legislation

Rep. Mark White and Sen. Brent Taylor, both Memphis Republicans, drafted several proposals aimed at education in their community.

The legislature passed one bill allowing the University of Memphis to create its own K-12 school district and expand its innovative University Schools model beyond campus borders. University officials said they’ll launch the district this fall, even as they’re still in talks with Memphis-Shelby County Schools about their contract that runs through fall 2026.

Another proposal — giving the governor the power to appoint up to six new members to the board of Memphis-Shelby County Schools — was never heard in committees after White agreed to hold off and work with the existing board and the district’s new superintendent, Marie Feagins, on an improvement plan.

Rep. Antonio Parkinson D-Memphis, has sought for years to shut down the Achievement School District.

A Democratic-sponsored proposal to end the Tennessee Achievement School District, the state’s sputtering takeover and turnaround initiative, passed out of the Senate but not the House. Rep. Antonio Parkinson, the sponsor there, pulled the legislation on the last day of session when White sought to amend the bill. Still, the ASD continues to shrink on its own as its 10-year contracts with charter operators end.

An effort to expand a separate pilot school turnaround project — which started in 2021 in Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga — failed to clear budget committees.

Lawmakers passed House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s charter school proposal to create new alternative education options for Tennessee’s at-risk youth. The plan opens the door to residential charter schools, a concern of disability advocates who warned against any measure that could lead to the institutionalization of youth or commingling distinct student populations facing varying issues such as substance abuse, juvenile crime, chronic absenteeism, and teen pregnancy.

Sexton trumpeted his and other charter school legislation headed to the governor’s desk. One bill rewrites state law governing vacant and underutilized public school properties to give charter operators the “right of first refusal” to purchase those public assets.

“This session did more than it’s ever done in our history to continue to put (charter schools) on a path to give parents the choice and alternative to traditional schools,” Sexton said.

A tighter budget meant fewer education initiatives

Passing a budget for state government is the legislature’s only required constitutional duty, and the task was more challenging this year as tax revenues flattened and federal COVID relief funding ended.

Still, Republican lawmakers approved a $1.9 billion package of tax cuts and refunds to corporations and businesses.

Representatives on the floor of the Tennessee House in 2022

They ultimately approved a nearly $53 billion spending plan that allocates an additional $126 million to raise the annual minimum salary for public school teachers from $42,000 to $44,500. The goal is to get to $50,000 by the 2026-27 school year.

Also included is $8 million to hire more school-based behavioral health specialists amid record reports of students experiencing stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. Another $15 million in non-recurring funds will help charter school operators pay for school facilities and maintenance.

But the legislature killed efforts to hire more school-based nurses and counselors, reimburse teachers for some of their child care expenses, and provide free feminine hygiene products in high schools, as well as separate proposals by a Democrat and a Republican to make school meals free for all students. It also said no to a bill to use tax revenue from Tennessee’s growing sports betting industry to offer child care scholarships to low- and middle-income families.

When the 114th General Assembly convenes next year, it will look somewhat different after this year’s elections. All seats of the 99-member House of Representatives and half of the Senate’s 33 seats will be on the ballot.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

Gov. Bill Lee says he’ll sign bill to let some Tennessee teachers and staff carry guns in schools

2024-04-26T01:34:18+00:00

Gov. Bill Lee said Thursday he will sign legislation to let some teachers and staff go armed in Tennessee public schools.

“Districts have the option to choose,” Lee told reporters after the legislature adjourned for the year. Some school systems, he added, need that option.

His decision comes despite calls from teacher and gun control groups for the governor to veto the bill, as well as concern that parents won’t be notified if their child’s teacher is armed. In nearly six years as governor, Lee has advocated for parental rights on education matters such as curriculum and library materials.

The impending law becomes one of the most significant public safety actions in Tennessee since an intruder shot and killed three students and three staff members a year ago at a private Christian school in Nashville.

Partisan votes in the GOP-controlled legislature advanced the bill this month despite mass protests at the state Capitol seeking stricter gun laws in the wake of the massacre at The Covenant School.

Since Tuesday’s dramatic House vote sent the bill to the governor’s desk, many of the state’s largest districts, including in its four urban counties, have announced they will not use the option if the bill becomes law. They say their campuses generally have a trained law enforcement officer on duty.

“I think meeting … general threats to an environment with another threat to an environment is not something that we want to participate in,” said Marie Feagins, the new superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

Rural districts, where it’s more difficult to hire school resource officers for every school, are more likely to use the option, according to Rep. Ryan Williams of Cookeville and Sen. Paul Bailey of Sparta, the bill’s sponsors.

Under the legislation, carrying a gun would be voluntary, and allowed only if the local school district and law enforcement agencies agree to the policy. The school employee carrying the gun would have to possess an enhanced permit, complete 40 hours of certified training in school policing at their own expense, and pass a mental health evaluation and FBI background check.

Meanwhile, the bill’s passage has put Tennessee in the national spotlight, drawing criticism from gun control groups such as Brady, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization, and Sandy Hook Promise, founded by family members of the 20 children and six adults killed in a 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

“The Tennessee legislature has just dishonored all who were killed at the Covenant School shooting last year by choosing to promote the proliferation of firearms in classrooms,” said Kris Brown, the president of Brady, after the House vote. “There is no evidence to suggest that arming teachers will keep children safe from gun violence. Multiple teachers were armed at Covenant Day School, yet that was not enough to stop six children and school employees from being murdered.”

Tennessee Democrats, who voted against the bill, expressed disappointment that the governor plans to sign the bill.

“This legislation is an affront to every parent, to every Tennessean,” Sen. Raumesh Akbari, of Memphis. “We appropriated a record amount of dollars to fund SROs in every school. But instead we’re leaning into this type of policy.”

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

IPS board president announces safety task force following School 87 lawsuit over ‘fight club’

2024-04-24T02:12:24+00:00

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The Indianapolis Public Schools board president said the district will create a task force focused on student safety, following the widespread circulation of a video that is part of a lawsuit alleging that a teacher encouraged attacks on a 7-year-old student with a disability.

Board President Angelia Moore said in a statement at Tuesday’s board meeting that the board was shocked and upset by what the video showed. The statement did not reference the lawsuit.

Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said in a video released Wednesday that the district would also have an external partner review its policies and procedures.

“We will further clarify our guidance for all staff, teachers, and administrators regarding follow-up communication of incidents in schools, which is a place where we fell short in this instance and have regrettably caused some families to question their trust in us,” she said.

The lawsuit claims that first-year IPS teacher Julious Johnican orchestrated a “fight club” style of discipline at George Washington Carver Montessori School 87, in which he encouraged and recorded physical abuse that the student — identified as “O.D.” — suffered at the hands of other students.

The complaint references a video that the family’s attorneys say was taken by Johnican and that they believe shows an incident in September.

The video shows one student hitting O.D. repeatedly until he begins to cry, according to the complaint.

“That’s right,” says a teacher, which the lawsuit identifies as Johnican, in the video. “You get him.”

Johnican, who resigned from his position in early November and no longer works in IPS, could not be reached for comment.

Johnican told the Department of Child Services, which the lawsuit states investigated the claims of neglect after O.D.’s mother discovered the video, that O.D. and another student had had issues all year. He said he spoke with administration on what to do with classroom behaviors and management and was told to “utilize all of the resources available,” according to the DCS report.

IPS said in a statement that DCS was notified immediately when it became aware of the behavior alleged in the complaint, and that it takes reports of potential abuse and neglect seriously.

News of the lawsuit sparked an outcry among IPS parents as the video circulated last week.

“This behavior was alarming and hard for anyone to watch, but we know it’s especially close to home for parents and caregivers of IPS students — which includes four of us on this board,” Moore said on Tuesday. “Every Indianapolis family should be able to send their children to school with full confidence that caring adults are looking out for their well being.”

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that it’s investigating an incident at School 87 at the request of the prosecutor’s office.

School 87 parents told Chalkbeat that they did not know about the allegations until media outlets reported it. Some also say that longstanding concerns brought to the school’s administration over teacher turnover, staff morale, behavior, and communication issues have gone unaddressed.

An online petition launched last week demands new leadership at the school.

Moore thanked the community for their input and said it has driven “crucial” conversations on next steps for the district.

“You have been heard, your voices are valued, and ensuring our children’s safety is all of our most important jobs as adults,” Moore said.

On Sunday, the district also informed parents that the principal and vice principal will not be at school while the district gathers information about school climate. Executive Director of Schools Adrienne Kuchik is serving as the school’s leader in the meantime.

The district is also reviewing protocols on how principals communicate with families, Moore said, and is bringing on an “external partner” to interview families at School 87.

“Our promise is to report back to you on this work in 30 days and continue to share ways in which you can get involved,” Moore said.

This story has been updated to include comments from Superintendent Aleesia Johnson.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Bill to let some teachers and school employees carry guns heads to Tennessee governor’s desk, despite protests

2024-04-23T23:54:26+00:00

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Protesters screamed “blood on your hands!” then lay down on the floor of the Tennessee State Capitol as if they were victims of gun violence, after lawmakers passed legislation Tuesday to let some teachers and staff carry guns at school.

In between, House Speaker Cameron Sexton paused business in the House of Representatives and ordered state troopers to clear the spectator gallery of protesters.

The 68-28 vote came one year after an intruder shot and killed three children and three adults at a Nashville school, prompting mass protests by gun control advocates and ongoing calls for tighter gun laws.

But instead of restricting gun access in one of America’s most gun-friendly states, the GOP-controlled legislature is sending Republican Gov. Bill Lee a bill that would expand it.

Gun control advocates were angry.

“They’re going in the wrong direction,” said Marley Mello, a 15-year-old Nashville student. “Guns are the problem, not the solution.”

Lisa Bruce, a retired Tennessee principal, called it a “Band-Aid to cover a gaping wound.”

“I could maybe get on board with it if we were already doing common sense measures to reduce gun violence in our state,” she said. “But this feels like a huge leap.”

After the bill's passage, students shout in protest in the rotunda of the Tennessee State Capitol.

The bill’s Republican sponsors have said the legislation is needed to provide an armed presence on every Tennessee school campus, especially in rural areas. Nearly a third of the state’s 1,800-plus public schools don’t have a school resource officer, despite an influx of state money to pay for them, due to a shortage in the profession.

On the House floor, Rep. Ryan Williams, of Cookeville, emphasized that carrying a gun would be voluntary, and allowed only if the local school district and law enforcement agencies agree to the policy. The school employee carrying the gun would have to have an enhanced permit, complete 40 hours of certified training in school policing at their own expense, and pass a mental health evaluation and FBI background check.

Republican lawmakers voting for the measure liked that local officials ultimately could decide whether the policy works for their community.

“I trust my local law enforcement. I trust my director of schools. I trust my teacher,” said Rep. Brock Martin, of Huntingdon.

But Democrats said the effort was misguided, shortsighted, and dangerous.

“We’re going to give somebody a little pop gun to go against a weapon of war. It does not work, folks,” said Rep. Bo Mitchell, of Nashville.

Tennesseans would be better served, Democrats argued, if the legislature passed laws requiring safe storage of firearms and background checks, as well as to temporarily remove guns from any person who is an imminent risk to themselves or others — all proposals that have been defeated by Republicans in charge.

The vote came after an hour of debate in which Democrats tried unsuccessfully to change the bill to exclude their counties, ensure parents are notified when their child’s teacher is armed, or remove a clause that shields districts and law enforcement agencies from civil lawsuits over how a school employee uses, or doesn’t use, a gun.

On Monday, one parent at Nashville’s Covenant School, where the shooting occurred on March 27, 2023, delivered a petition signed by more than 5,000 Tennesseans asking lawmakers to vote the bill down.

“While we all want safe schools and an end to gun violence, arming teachers with guns is not the way,” wrote Sarah Shoop Neumann, whose 5-year-old son was enrolled in Covenant’s preschool.

Another Covenant parent, Mary Joyce, called the bill “ludicrous.”

“Had my daughter’s teacher left the classroom to pursue the shooter, a classroom of 9-year-olds would have been left to protect themselves,” Joyce said.

Jeff Bledsoe, the executive director of the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association, told Chalkbeat he expects few teachers to carry a gun if the bill becomes law. More likely candidates, he said, are school staff members who have a military or law enforcement background.

His organization opposed the legislation in 2019 when Williams sponsored a similar bill. However, it is neutral on the current bill after working with the sponsors to add more requirements before a person can carry a weapon at school.

Alison Beale, a mother and former teacher, is among spectators escorted by state troopers from the House gallery at the Tennessee State Capitol on April 23. Beale, of Hendersonville, is a Democratic candidate for the House.

Two weeks earlier, the bill easily cleared the Senate, where spectators also were ejected from the gallery after defying warnings from Lt. Gov. Randy McNally to stay quiet.

The governor has signaled he likely will sign the measure into law.

“I’ve said for many years that I’m open to the idea, but the particulars are important,” he told reporters last week.

An advocate for parental rights, the governor declined to comment on the bill’s intent to block a parent from being notified if their child’s teacher is carrying a gun.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

Majority of American teachers worry about shootings at their schools, survey shows

2024-04-11T21:20:53+00:00

This story was originally published by The 19th and is republished under a Creative Commons license. Sign up for The 19th’s newsletter here.

The majority of American K-12 public school teachers say they are at least somewhat worried about the possibility of a shooting at their school, according to a new survey conducted by the Pew Research Center.

Fifty-nine percent told Pew researchers that they were concerned about shootings on their campuses, with 18% saying they were “very” or “extremely” worried. Only 7% of teachers polled said they were not worried at all. School shootings reached a record high last year, with 83 separate incidents occurring in 2023.

Juliana Horowitz, associate director of research at the Pew Research Center, told The 19th that the genesis for this research came from doing preliminary interviews with educators before launching surveys on the state of teaching today. Many brought up concerns about gun violence and safety. “In asking about the day-to-day of being a teacher, I felt like this was a really important topic to capture,” Horowitz said.

Fears about campus safety have become widespread in the 25 years since two senior students opened fire on their classmates at Columbine High School in Colorado. They killed 12 students and one teacher.

Last year, roughly one in four American teachers reported experiencing a gun-related lockdown at their school. Fifteen percent of respondents said they went through one emergency lockdown, with another 8% saying that it happened where they teach more than once.

These numbers tell an important story, Horowitz said. “Especially for high school teachers, this is something that is really top of mind for them.”

High school teachers experience gun-related lockdowns more than any other demographic: 34% said they had at least one incident during the previous school year, compared to 22% of middle school teachers and 16% of elementary school teachers.

Approximately one-third of teachers who work in urban areas said they had a gun-related lockdown during the last school year, compared with 19% of those in suburban areas and 20% in rural ones.

Teachers in urban schools were the least likely to say that they felt adequately prepared by their school, with only 21% saying their school had done a good or excellent job, compared with 32% of teachers in suburban districts and 35% of teachers in rural ones.

Most of the surveyed teachers pointed at the role mental health care could play in addressing the gun violence crisis. A large majority — 69% — said they believed improving mental health screening and treatment for children and adults would be extremely or very effective in preventing school shootings. This emphasis on improving mental health held across party lines, with 73% of Democratic teachers and 66% of Republican teachers all saying that investment in mental health resources would be an extremely or very effective prevention tool.

Only 13% said that allowing teachers and administrators to carry guns in school would be extremely effective at curbing this form of gun violence.

Related: Amid clamor from protesters, Tennessee Senate passes bill to arm some teachers

Party affiliation had a lot to do with teachers’ opinions on how to be proactive about school safety. Sixty-nine percent of Republican teachers were in favor of having police officers or armed security in schools, compared with 37% of Democrats; 43% were in favor of metal detectors compared with only 27% of Democrats; and 28% were in favor of allowing teachers and administrators to carry guns, compared with just 3% of Democrats.

Horowitz said that teachers tend to lean Democratic, meaning that the majority of those surveyed are more likely to identify as Democrats than the public overall. “The results among Democratic teachers mirror more closely what we see overall among teachers — and so that’s why it’s really important to also look at these differences and see how Democratic and Republican teachers are reacting differently to these questions.”

She also points to the 3% of teachers who say that staff at their schools are allowed to carry guns. But that circumstance depends on the political leanings of the school district where the campus is located. Teachers in districts that went for President Donald Trump in 2020 saw this number reach 5%. In districts that went for President Joe Biden, it dropped to 1%. “I think that captures that partisan differences are important not just among teachers, but that there are partisan differences in terms of the sort of political environment where the schools are that they teach in,” Horowitz said.

For this study, Pew surveyed 2,531 members of RAND’s American Teacher Panel, which is nationally representative. Survey data was weighted to state and national teacher characteristics to account for differences in sampling and response.

Parents also echo teachers’ concerns, Horowitz added. A Pew Research Center study released last fall found that a third of American parents said they were extremely or very worried about a shooting at their child’s school, with an additional 37% saying they were somewhat worried. That means about seven in 10 parents have fears about school shootings.

This survey did not tie school shooting concerns to how teachers intend to vote in the November election. But Horowitz believes it is clear that issues affecting schools “are things that people will be talking about in the context of the election and politics.”

Amid clamor from protesters, Tennessee Senate passes bill to arm some teachers

2024-04-10T00:44:08+00:00

Amid outbursts from gun control advocates in the spectator gallery, Tennessee’s GOP-dominated Senate passed a bill Tuesday to allow some teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns in public schools.

The vote was 26-5 vote along partisan lines.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally ordered the gallery cleared of protesters after issuing several warnings before the vote, but many of them refused to leave, despite the urging of state troopers and warnings that they could be arrested.

Some held up signs that said “We’re still here” and “1 year later, are kids safer?” referring to Nashville’s Covenant School shooting, in which an intruder killed three children and three adult staff members on March 27, 2023.

Others chanted “Vote them out!” and “Let them teach!” as it took nearly 15 minutes to resume debate.

“People were damn mad,” Nashville mom Carol Buckley Frazier told Chalkbeat later.

“Some wonderful amendments were introduced to try to craft something better out of a horrific bill, but every one of them got tabled by the Republican supermajority. We just couldn’t believe it,” said Frazier, who came to the state Capitol to show her opposition to the bill.

A group of parents from The Covenant School were also in the balcony but were allowed to stay. Wearing school colors or with ribbons pinned to their chests, they have had a steady presence on Capitol Hill since the shooting to meet with legislators, attend committee meetings, and advocate for gun reforms.

The legislation still awaits a vote by the full House. If it passes there, Tennessee will be on the verge of enacting a law that most teachers and parents oppose.

The latest results from the annual statewide poll conducted by the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy found that school safety is one of parents’ top education concerns, but significantly fewer parents said yes when asked if schools are safer when teachers are armed.

However, some rural lawmakers have sought the measure for a decade to help districts that can’t place an armed law enforcement officer on every campus, most recently due to a shortage in the profession.

The bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Paul Bailey of Sparta and Rep. Ryan Williams of Cookeville, lays out specific conditions before any school employee could carry a concealed handgun if they’re not a law enforcement officer.

First, the local district and law enforcement agency would have to agree to pursue such a policy.

Second, interested teachers and school staff who have an enhanced handgun permit would have to complete 40 hours of certified training in school policing at their own expense, and pass a mental health evaluation and an FBI background check. That training would have to be renewed every year that the teacher was carrying.

Parents would not be notified if their child’s teacher is armed. And one provision of the bill shields districts and law enforcement agencies from potential civil lawsuits over how a teacher or school employee uses, or doesn’t use, a handgun under the proposed law.

In remarks on the Senate floor, Sen. Raumesh Akbari, a Memphis Democrat, noted the irony of any legislation blocking a parent from being notified about a gun in their child’s classroom, given the many GOP-backed laws passed in recent years to restrict curriculum and library materials under the banner of parental rights.

And Sen. London Lamar, another Memphis Democrat, gave an impassioned speech while holding her 8-month-old son.

Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, holds her infant son as she speaks against legislation that would allow some Tennessee teachers and staff to go armed in public schools.

“I’m upset. My child is at risk under this bill,” Lamar said. “This bill is dangerous and teachers don’t want it. Nobody wants it.”

Bailey, the Senate sponsor, said the provision about not notifying parents is intended as a deterrent to potential intruders who would not know who is armed and who isn’t.

Any liability for an accident would be borne by the teacher who chooses to carry a weapon under the law, he said.

Sen. Ken Yager, a Kingston Republican, spoke in favor of the bill.

“We are not trying to shoot a student,” he said, “but protect a student from an active shooter whose sole purpose is to get into that school and kill people.”

But Claire Jones, a Williamson County mom and hospice nurse who was at the Capitol on Tuesday, saw it differently.

“When you ask for stricter gun legislation and they actually loosen the laws, that feels intentional,” said Jones, who is running as a Democrat for the House seat currently occupied by Republican Rep. Gino Bulso.

“How did we come from a tragedy like Covenant to this point?” she asked.

You can track the bill’s status on the General Assembly’s website.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

Three state Board of Education safety proposals fail to move forward

2024-04-09T18:27:26+00:00

After the State Board of Education dismissed her three school safety proposals, member Nikki Snyder stormed out of the meeting Tuesday morning.

It was the second time in five months one of Snyder’s proposals on safety measures in response to the Oxford school shooting was rejected by the board.

“The cowardice of this board is disgusting,” she said as she left.

Snyder, a Republican, introduced three resolutions to urge lawmakers to create a statewide emergency response plan, remove protections shielding public school officials from legal liability, hold staff accountable for lapses in safety, require annual school safety inspections, and create a database of student deaths and injuries, among other measures.

“The board shouldn’t exist if it’s not impacting the safety of our students,” Snyder said in a phone interview after she left the meeting.

Only Snyder and Tom McMillin, the other Republican on the eight-member board, voted in favor of discussing all three resolutions.

The members of the majority-Democratic board who voted against adding the proposals to the agenda said they care about school safety, but they either needed to do more research on the issues or wanted to wait to support related legislation to be proposed. Some members said they had already passed resolutions on safety issues. The board is an elected body that does not have the power to pass laws, but is expected to provide recommendations to legislators.

“Shame on you for saying that we don’t have urgency when we’ve continuously promoted resolutions and been out advocating for safe schools,” said Board President Pamela Pugh, a Democrat, to Snyder at one point in the meeting.

Three parents whose children attended Oxford High School in November 2021 when a 15-year-old killed four students and injured seven others decried the Michigan Department of Education and the board for not taking up the resolutions.

“You put Oxford High School students, staff, and families in your rearview mirror and you continue to refuse to see us,” said Renee Upham, whose son survived the mass shooting. “You are dishonoring them and the institution that you represent.”

An independent report on the shooting released in October found multiple failures by school officials to take steps to prevent the killings.

On Tuesday, the parents of the Oxford shooter were both sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for their failure to take steps to prevent their son from carrying out the shootings.

Civil suits were filed against Oxford Community Schools and several Oxford staff members. Last year, a circuit court dismissed a claim against the district and its employees due to government immunity. Litigation is still ongoing in some of the cases.

One of Snyder’s resolutions said the Oxford shootings could have been prevented if best practices in prevention were followed, echoing the findings of the independent report. The resolution would have encouraged the implementation of a statewide emergency operations plan, making independent third-party investigations of student injuries or deaths mandatory, and making schools and staff liable for negligence that leads to lapses in school safety. It also would urge the legislature to amend the state’s Freedom of Information Act to remove blanket exemptions that prevent the public from reviewing emergency plans, among other measures.

Another of Snyder’s resolutions says that Michigan students are put at risk of violence, injury, and discrimination because existing rules on how schools can use seclusion and restraint are not enforced in schools. It would urge the legislature to mandate state reporting on instances of seclusion and restraint, create state compliance oversight, create consequences for noncompliance, and change laws to make schools and employees liable for violating the laws.

Snyder also introduced a resolution to urge legislators to pass Liliana’s Law, a bill that has been introduced four times after a 3-year-old died from being crushed by a recalled folding table in 2017 at a Dearborn Heights Head Start program. The bill would require annual safety inspections of all schools. The resolution also encourages the lawmakers to pass a bill that would create a database of student deaths and injuries in public schools.

Board Member Tiffany Tilley, a Democrat, said that she believes resolutions are more effective in informing the legislature when the board has time to discuss issues at length and have an “informed position.”

“I think that we all need to understand that we are not legislators,” said Tilley. “We operate in a different capacity.”

Marshall Bullock, another board member and a Democrat, agreed and said the board and its legislative committee had not yet discussed some of the issues.

“While all of these have merit, I think they are put together in a haphazard way and they are definitely not thoughtful, vetted, clear, or concise,” he said.

On Monday, Snyder held a press conference with the mother of the girl who died in Dearborn Heights, parents of two Oxford shooting victims, and the father of a boy injured while being restrained in his school. She said their input was given on all of her proposals.

“All of these parents are saying the same things – that schools aren’t safe,” said Snyder.

In November, Snyder introduced a resolution calling for more training requirements for public school staff to prevent violence and more accountability for school employees and administrators for safety lapses. The board voted against taking up the proposal, saying they would consider it later after more research.

Pugh noted Tuesday that she voted in support of Snyder’s previous resolution related to an emergency operation plan. The board president said she expected that issue to come up in the legislative committee by now and that she will push it forward to the committee again.

After the public comments, Tilley said that as a survivor of a brother lost to gun violence, she deeply cares about safety issues.

“The resolutions are us coming together in our voice saying to the legislature that we want to see laws passed,” she said. “We just need time to do that. Nobody is saying that we’re not gonna do anything.”

Snyder expressed frustration during the meeting when state Superintendent Michael Rice reminded her that presenters, including a group of students set to talk about a pilot AP African American Studies course, were waiting to address the board.

“You’re trying to have more presentations about things that are not keeping kids safe and not educating them,” she said. “I’m fully aware of what we have done since the seven years I have sat on this board. Yes, let’s get to those presentations that aren’t keeping our kids safe and educating them. That’s important.”

A presentation on school safety and student mental health initiatives from the MDE and public safety officials took place after Snyder left.

The presenters discussed their vision for a comprehensive school mental health system as well as existing safeguards like tip lines, regularly updating emergency plans, and partnerships with law enforcement.

Snyder told Chalkbeat she didn’t regret any of the comments she made to the board.

“I think the cowardice of the way the board is handling these things is disgusting, and I feel no shame in saying that out loud,” she said.

Snyder did not return to the meeting. She said she was willing to discuss her proposals at the meeting next month.

“These resolutions are blueprints on how to move forward,” she said.

Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Bill to let some teachers carry guns advances in Tennessee. Parents wouldn’t be notified.

2024-04-03T00:19:56+00:00

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Legislation to let some public school teachers carry handguns advanced Tuesday in the Tennessee Senate as the Republican-controlled legislature quashed new attempts to tighten the state’s lax firearm laws following last year’s mass school shooting in Nashville.

The bill, which still faces votes before the full Senate and House, would let a teacher or staff member with an enhanced permit carry a concealed handgun at school after completing 40 hours of certified training in school policing at their own expense, as well as passing a mental health evaluation and FBI background check.

The local district and law enforcement agency would decide whether to let faculty or staff carry a gun under the bill co-sponsored by Sen. Paul Bailey of Sparta and Rep. Ryan Williams of Cookeville, both Republicans.

But parents would not be notified if their student’s teacher is armed, which runs counter to the GOP’s emphasis on parental rights and notification on education matters such as curriculum and library materials.

“The director of schools, principal, and the chief of the local law enforcement agency are the only ones notified of those permitted to carry,” Bailey told senators, “and they are not to disclose if someone is or is not permitted to carry on school grounds.”

The 7-1 vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee comes as Tennessee’s legislature continues to pass measures aimed at fortifying school campuses rather than restricting gun access in one of the most gun-friendly states in America.

Last year, after a shooter killed three children and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville, the legislature allocated $230 million and passed laws to upgrade school facilities, pay for a school resource officer for every school, and ensure school doors remain locked.

Gov. Bill Lee later called lawmakers back for a special session on public safety. But none of the bills that passed specifically addressed concerns about easy access to guns that were raised by the March 27 shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School, where a 28-year-old intruder, who police said was under a doctor’s care for an “emotional disorder,” used legally purchased guns to shoot through the glass doors.

This year, bills moving through the legislature would require age-appropriate gun safety training for school children as young as kindergarten; change school fire alarm protocols to take into account active-shooter situations; create a pilot program to give teachers wearable alarms; increase safety training for school bus drivers; and set guidelines to digitize school maps so first responders can access school layouts quickly in an emergency, among other things.

Meanwhile, Democratic-sponsored legislation to restrict gun access by broadening background checks and promoting secure firearm storage have met swift defeats. Earlier on Tuesday, one House panel dismissed, without discussion, a bill seeking to ban semi-automatic rifles in Tennessee.

School safety is one of the top three education concerns of Tennessee parents, but significantly fewer parents agree that schools are safer when teachers are armed, according to the latest results in an annual poll from the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy.

Sen. London Lamar, a Memphis Democrat who voted against the measure, said more guns aren’t the solution to stopping gun violence.

“I do not think that it is the responsibility of teachers in our state, who have taken the oath to educate our children, to now become law enforcement officers,” she said.

Lamar also expressed concern about one provision to shield districts and law enforcement agencies from potential civil lawsuits over how a teacher or school employee uses, or fails to use, a handgun under the proposed law.

Organizations representing Tennessee teachers and school superintendents prefer policies that place an officer in every school over any that could arm faculty.

But Bailey told the Senate panel that nearly a third of the state’s 1,800-plus public schools still don’t have a school resource officer, despite an influx of state money to pay for them.

Law enforcement groups have struggled to recruit enough candidates because of inadequate pay, occupational stress, and changing public perceptions about the profession.

“Everybody’s got a shortage right now, but it’s been going on for years,” said Lt. Kyle Cheek, president of the Tennessee School Resource Officers Association.

Cheek, who oversees school-based deputies in Maury County, said equipping a teacher for school policing would require extensive training beyond a basic firearms course. And it would raise other concerns too.

“Who takes care of the teacher’s class if they’re going to check out a security issue?” he told Chalkbeat. “It’s a huge responsibility.”

The advancement of Bailey’s Senate bill means the measure likely will face votes this month in the full Senate and House before the legislature adjourns its two-year session.

The House version cleared numerous committees last year, but Williams did not pursue a vote by the full chamber after the Covenant tragedy prompted gun control advocates to stage mass protests at the Capitol.

You can track the legislation on the General Assembly’s website.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

Student aggression against teachers spurs Colorado lawmakers to find solutions

2024-04-02T19:36:56+00:00

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Almost a third of Colorado teachers who took a recent teachers union survey said they had experienced physical abuse by a student in the past two years. A bill under consideration in the legislature aims to find solutions and stem teacher turnover.

“When I bring this bill up, every single person will then respond with, ‘Oh my gosh, this happened to my neighbor last week, this happened to my sister-in-law last week,’” State Rep. Meghan Lukens, a Steamboat Springs Democrat and former high school teacher, said during a hearing on the bill, of which she is co-sponsor.

“It’s crazy how many personal stories I’ve gotten from folks in the education space ever since I started talking more about this bill.”

House Bill 1320, which passed the House Education Committee March 18 a 7-4 vote, would create a task force to investigate those incidents and other topics, including the effects of special education staffing shortages and insufficient funding for student wraparound services. The task force would make recommendations for policy or law changes needed to improve teacher safety.

The same Colorado Education Association survey that spurred Lukens to co-sponsor the bill found that 58% of teachers who responded said they are considering leaving the profession in the near future, though the reasons varied. National surveys have found similar results.

But balancing teacher safety and student needs can be difficult, especially when a student’s trauma or disability is the reason for their behavior. Educators have said the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental and behavioral health issues for many students and worsened already unsustainable special education caseloads.

In testifying for the bill, Kevin Vick, the CEA vice president, told a story about a pregnant teacher who he said was kicked in the stomach by a high school student “hard enough to cause bruising, but fortunately not hard enough to endanger the child.”

The teacher quit that very same day, Vick said. When a long-term substitute teacher took over, the same student beat the substitute with a metal water bottle, he said.

“I don’t blame the student,” Vick told state lawmakers. “He had a condition that manifested that.”

Vick said a diverse task force is needed to come up with solutions to what is a complex problem. Others, including Brandon Smith, a social worker in 27J Schools in Brighton, agreed.

“For years, my coworkers and I were told that being assaulted in various ways was part of the job and we signed up for — and we should know what we were getting into,” said Smith.

He spoke of a first grade student he said “would flood sinks, destroy walls, furniture, take their clothes off, pee, throw feces, play with electric sockets, [and] punch and kick” staff members. District staff tried to get the student into a private program that could better meet his needs, but Smith said they encountered long wait lists and hesitancy about accepting the child.

Erin Kane, the superintendent of the Douglas County School District, the third-largest in the state, was the only district leader to testify. Speaking in favor of the bill, she ticked off specifics: In a district with 8,500 staff members, Douglas County schools had 313 workers compensation incidents last school year related to student aggression against a teacher.

Kane said the incidents usually mean a staff member had to see a doctor or go to the emergency room. So far this school year, Kane said the district has had 269 claims.

“We need help,” said Kallie Leyba, the president of the American Federation of Teachers Colorado, which represents teachers in Douglas County.

“The kids are not all right. And the educators are not all right.”

The four Republicans on the House Education Committee voted against the bill. Several Republican lawmakers said they agreed that aggression against teachers is a problem, but they disagreed that a task force would help.

“Why are we not taking action instead of just a study?” said Rep. Anthony Hartsook, a Parker Republican.

Republican lawmakers also expressed concern about an amendment that said the task force could not recommend policies that would increase student discipline or result in more students being referred to law enforcement. The amendment passed on a party-line vote.

“If a student is beating up teachers, then what is the task force supposed to do about that scenario? What is their policy supposed to be if it doesn’t include discipline?” asked Rep. Don Wilson, a Monument Republican.

“Those solutions are going to be coming from our group of experts,” answered Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, a Glenwood Springs Democrat and one of the sponsors of the bill.

Rep. Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat, said her yes vote doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t be disciplined or even charged criminally, but represents the hope that the task force can come up with solutions that get at the root causes of unsafe behavior.

“We need right now to think of something different,” Bacon said.

The bill says the task force would be made up of:

The director of the state Office of School Safety.
Three teachers at district-run schools, representing urban, suburban, and rural districts.
Two school administrators employed at district-run schools.
One school leader or administrator of a charter school.
One charter school teacher.
Two education support professionals, including one who works with English learners.
One school support professional, such as a school psychologist or social worker, who understands neurological and developmental disorders such as autism.
A representative of an organization that works with low-income families in a school district where most students identify as students of color.
A representative of an organization that works with students with disabilities.
A student representing a community that is disproportionately impacted by school discipline.
A person who works for a nonprofit organization focused on school safety and training.
A certified restorative justice professional experienced in community-based juvenile restorative justice, which focuses on repairing harm rather than punishment.

The task force would meet at least four times this year and three times next year to come up with a final report and recommendations by June 30, 2025, the bill says.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

New metal detectors in NYC schools will still be paired with backpack checks

2024-03-28T22:23:00+00:00

As Mayor Eric Adams launches a high-profile effort to pilot new weapons detection technology in the subways, New York City has also begun quietly rolling out new weapons scanners in schools, according to education and police officials.

The NYPD, which oversees school weapons detectors, is in the process of replacing the existing metal detectors at nearly 80 city campuses with new scanners from the company CEIA at a cost of roughly $3.9 million, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed. An additional nine schools will get the new devices for “random scanning” on select days, the spokesperson said.

The new CEIA Opengate scanners for schools, which consist of two wireless, standalone pillars that can be customized with the school’s name and colors, are supposed to feel more welcoming and “less intrusive” to students than the traditional, box-shaped metal detectors, according to Mark Rampersant, the Education Department’s Chief of Safety and Prevention Partnerships.

The new CEIA Opengate scanner in the foreground is replacing the traditional metal detectors seen in the background.

But Education Department officials aren’t planning to take advantage of the device’s major selling point: allowing students to walk through without removing their backpacks, which would save a significant amount of time.

Instead, New York City schools will continue asking students to put their bags through a separate X-ray machine – the part of the process that usually takes longest – Rampersant said.

“In terms of the students not removing their backpacks, this technology does not allow for that,” Rampersant said Thursday at a press conference. “We’ll continue to use the X-ray machine that tells you what’s in the bag.”

That runs counter to the company’s marketing of the product, which promises that “individuals can go ahead and keep their bags on them,” because the machines can, in theory, distinguish between weapons and other metal devices like cell phones, bottles, and tablets, the company’s website reads.

Nikita Ermolaev, a research engineer who studies CEIA products for IPVM, a security industry research publication, said it’s “extremely rare” for a school district to purchase the CEIA Opengate scanners while continuing to use X-ray bag machines at the same time.

“That raises a lot of questions,” he said. “If one can have a similar experience with traditional metal detectors, why would you need to buy a more expensive unit?”

An Education Department spokesperson referred questions about the new scanners to an NYPD spokesperson, who said “the CEIA Opengate is a low profile detector, however, it does not replace an X-Ray machine.”

More welcoming and portable devices

City officials pointed to two main advantages of the new CEIA scanners. First, since they’re wireless and relatively lightweight, they’re easy to move. That would allow schools to scan students before entering sports games outside, Rampersant said recently to parent leaders.

Officials also say the CEIA devices will feel more welcoming because they can be customized with a school’s logo and colors.

“It has the school’s branding on it so when kids see it … it doesn’t look like a metal detector scanner,” Rampersant said earlier this month at a meeting of the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Committee.

But Ava Harris, a 16-year-old senior at the Walton Campus in the Bronx, said walking through metal detectors each day makes her feel “like a criminal,” and the design of the scanners won’t change that.

“I find that quite ridiculous,” said Harris, a member of the student groups Urban Youth Collaborative and Sistas & Brothas United, which advocate for the removal of scanners from schools. “I don’t really think the logo of the school or anything would make a difference. It’s still a scanner, kids will still know it’s a scanner.”

Officials didn’t immediately say what will happen with the old scanners or whether they will be repurposed.

CEIA is a competitor of Evolv, the company whose technology Adams touted at his Thursday press conference on subway safety. Evolv has attracted significant scrutiny from experts and government officials over accusations that it overpromises with its aggressive marketing and triggers false alerts on objects like Chromebooks. Ermolaev said CEIA is a more established company and is more conservative in its marketing.

But he said the devices can still miss items, or falsely alert on non-weapons when sensitivity settings are too high.

Ermolaev questioned whether the ability to move and decorate the new devices was worth the additional cost. He pointed out that most traditional metal detectors can be put on wheels and moved, and many can also be customized with school designs.

The major advantage of a system like Opengate is that it can significantly speed up the scanning process by eliminating the need for the X-ray bag machine, he said.

Harris, the Bronx student, suggested the city divert the roughly $4 million it plans to spend on the new scanners to “things that would actually help students like counselors, restorative justice, and conflict mediators.”

Officials offer conflicting messages

Adams and schools Chancellor David Banks have talked for years about introducing new scanners in schools, but officials have recently offered conflicting messages about what those devices will do and the timeline for rolling them out.

At the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Committee meeting earlier this month Banks said, “we’re trying to get in place … these non-invasive scanners where you don’t have to take everything out.”

He added that he was hopeful that technology is coming “sooner rather than later.”

It’s unclear if Banks was referring to the CEIA Opengate, or a different device.

But Rampersant, later in that same meeting, sounded a more cautious note.

“I don’t think there’s any such thing as less invasive tech, they’re all invasive,” he said. “The scanning machine the Chancellor speaks of, there is no real timeline for that being introduced into … our school system.”

Education Department officials didn’t immediately say how many schools have gotten CEIA scanners, but multiple principals at schools with metal detectors told Chalkbeat they haven’t yet received the new devices.

The city school system has seen a significant uptick in students arriving with weapons and other dangerous items in the wake of the pandemic — a reality students say is driven by safety concerns on the commute to and from school.

So far this school year, the NYPD has collected a total eight guns, 1,774 knives, 455 box cutters and razors, and 1,382 “other” items including pepper spray from students across the city’s roughly 1,600 public schools. That’s down slightly from last year’s totals during the same period, but still up significantly over pre-pandemic numbers.

Rampersant said “more and more of our schools, including our affluent schools, are asking for scanners in the school building.”

But critics have long alleged that the NYPD offers little explanation or rationale for where the scanners are placed.

At one school campus serving middle and elementary school students that got “pop-up” scanning this week, a parent said there was little explanation about why the metal detectors were necessary that morning, and that the scanners caused fear and confusion rather than reassurance.

“It was quite chaotic,” said the East Village elementary school parent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “I think really it more alarmed a lot of parents … than assuaged their fears.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Lawmakers consider Michigan school safety bills prompted by Oxford shooting

2024-03-19T23:52:22+00:00

School mental health professionals, safety experts, and education leaders on Tuesday voiced support for five proposed bills that aim to prevent violence in Michigan schools, saying the measures could save lives.

The bills, which come a year after the deadly mass shooting at Michigan State University and more than two years after the killings of four students at Oxford High School, would put in place more mental health support for struggling students, including creating specific service plans to meet their needs, and more stringent protocols for responding to emergencies.

The proposals also would increase oversight of threat assessment, or the process of determining whether a student poses a risk of physically harming themselves or others.

Melissa Kree, who has been a psychologist at Oxford Community Schools for 12 years, said during a hearing of the House Education Committee that the bills “have the potential to save lives” and would give districts the guidance they “desperately” seek on assessing potential threats.

“This work cannot be ignored,” she said. “The bills before you today have the potential to equip schools with the best practices and policies so that our students, staff, and families can be confident in their districts’ ability to conduct threat assessments and follow school safety protocols in a way that prioritizes both their physical and psychological safety.”

Karen Dunholter, a social worker at Southgate Community Schools, said educators want more training and guidance to make kids safer.

“People want to be trained,” she said. “We want policies and procedures so we are not doing something that we don’t know might be harmful.”

Tuesday’s hearing comes more than two years after most of the proposed legislation was introduced. Republicans have criticized Democrats for allowing the bills to languish in the Michigan Legislature since they were first introduced in 2022. Many Democrats, however, had previously said that gun reform could not be left out of conversations about school safety, and the bills do not change gun laws.

The proposed laws have support from both Democrat and Republican lawmakers.

One of the bills, co-sponsored by Rep. Kelly Breen, a Democrat from Novi, would require every public school to have a behavior threat assessment and management team that would monitor students for concerning behavior. Students who were identified as struggling would be provided with a plan for support.

The bill was based on the findings of a third-party report on the response to the Oxford shooting, which was released in October. That report concluded that the killings could have been prevented if proper threat assessment and suicide prevention were carried out by school staff and law enforcement.

Legislation introduced by Rep. Ranjeev Puri, a Democrat from Canton, would require the Michigan State Police to create standardized terminology for use during school emergencies. A related bill co-sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Young, a Democrat from Detroit, would require all schools and districts in the state to adopt that terminology, which supporters say would create less confusion during crises.

A bill authored by Rep. Nancy DeBoer, a Republican from Holland, would mandate that the Michigan Office of School Safety notify district emergency and safety managers of any tips regarding potential threats to schools in their system as soon as possible or within 24 hours. Local law enforcement would also have to be notified within that time frame.

Another bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Luke Meerman, a Republican from Coopersville, would create a permanent School Safety and Mental Health Commission in the Michigan Department of Education. The existing commission, which was created in 2022, focuses mostly on student mental health and preventing youth suicide. The bill would add more members to the commission, and those members would be experts in threat assessments.

Jason Russell, current member of the School Safety and Mental Health Commission and a former U.S. Secret Service agent, said creating universal language for schools and law enforcement to communicate during emergencies would streamline responses.

For example, school staff and law enforcement may mean different things when using phrases like “room clear.” To law enforcement, that means students are cleared from the room. Law enforcement could also give specific instructions to rapidly move from an outdoor space to inside a building with the command “reverse evacuation.”

To become law, the bills will need to move through several more steps of the legislative process. The committee has not yet voted to advance the bills. If the bills move out of committee, the House would hold a vote. Then, the bills would go to the Senate Education Committee before a vote in the Senate.

“I think we can agree, all of us, no matter what side of the aisle you sit on, that our kids have a fundamental right to a safe and respectful learning environment,” said Breen during the hearing. “And we know that if our kids are not physically or mentally safe, they cannot learn academically.”

Lawmakers avoid discussion of guns

To get bipartisan support for some of the school safety measures, lawmakers involved in writing the bills had to agree not to discuss gun reform, Breen said.

“It was clear that we could not leave politics out of any discussion involving firearms,” she said.

One Republican accused Democrats of “political grandstanding” on the issue. Rep. Angela Rigas, a Republican from Caledonia, said Tuesday in a prepared statement that such grandstanding by Democrats had caused the bills to be stuck in “purgatory.”

“Shootings have and continue to happen at Michigan schools,” she said. “It breaks my heart to see politics take the place of humanity right now.”

Since both mass shootings, Michigan has addressed school safety in different ways, both at the K-12 and postsecondary levels. The state has allocated more than $500 million toward school safety and mental health initiatives since 2022, including $328 million for school safety grants last year.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also signed into law several gun safety measures last year, including universal background checks and safe storage requirements. Some Republican lawmakers opposed the changes.

Breen, who has taken the lead on legislative school safety efforts, said during Tuesday’s hearing that work on the bills has been time-consuming because lawmakers have spent months meeting with experts and others to gain insight into best practices and needed improvements. The Oxford report also made lawmakers update the bills, said Breen.

Two other bills that were part of the original package on school safety legislation were not discussed in the hearing.

A bill introduced by Kathy Schmaltz, a Republican from Jackson, would make districts implement emergency plans for each school building in their system. Districts would have to update the plans every three years.

The other bill, which was introduced by Rep. Donni Steele, a Republican from Orion Township, would mandate that student identification cards list contact information for the OK2Say safety tipline.

Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Illinois lawmakers challenge Chicago school board’s plans to remove police, rethink choice policy

2024-03-11T20:07:43+00:00

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Illinois state lawmakers filed two bills last week aimed at reversing the Chicago Board of Education’s decisions to rethink school choice policies and remove school resource officers from campuses.

The bills focus on board moves that have drawn both support and sharp pushback in recent months from school communities and elected officials. Those decisions include a plan to reconsider the district’s system of school choice — including charter, selective enrollment, magnet, and gifted schools — and to create a new school safety plan that bans the use of school resource officers, or on-campus police.

The new state bills would significantly curtail both board decisions. One bill would prevent the closure of selective-enrollment schools and any changes to admissions policies at those schools for the next three years. The other would let local school councils retain the power to decide whether they want on-campus police — a right they would lose by next school year under a new safety plan.

Both bills have gathered support from other Chicago-based state lawmakers and powerful allies, including House Speaker Chris Welch.

The legislation is an example of lawmakers seeking to use state power to override Chicago’s authority over its schools. It comes just days after the Illinois House and Senate passed a bill governing elections for Chicago’s first-ever elected school board.

That power dynamic drew criticism from Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates, who has supported the board’s moves around school choice and resource officers.

“I remember being told by (Illinois General Assembly) members that they would *not* circumvent local control of CPS BOE,” Davis Gates tweeted in response to a tweet about the resource officer legislation. “That was in 2013 when Rahm Emanuel closed down 50 Black schools impacting nearly 20K Black children. Can anyone help me define irony?”

Dwayne Truss, a longtime activist on the West Side who has opposed the board’s decision on school resource officers, felt state lawmakers took an important step.

It’s the state’s attempt, Truss said, to “say, ‘Hey, if this is what they want, and it’s fair and it’s reasonable, then we have to protect those rights.’”

Some local school councils want to keep police officers

One of the state bills, House Bill 5008, would allow local school councils to contract with the Chicago Police Department for school resource officers. It would counteract a board vote two weeks ago to create a new school safety policy by June 27 that would end the use of school resource officers, effectively removing officers from 39 schools that currently have them, by next year.

“Local school councils are designed to make the best decision for their school,” said Rep. Mary Gill, a Democrat who represents neighborhoods on Chicago’s South Side and south suburbs, and is a key sponsor of HB 5008. “This is about keeping the power local to be able to decide if a (school resource officer) is needed, and from my research, 39 high schools would like to keep them. I think that’s enough.”

This bill passed the House’s Police and Fire committee last week, 13-0, and is headed to the House floor.

The safety plan board members called for in their vote two weeks ago would focus on more “holistic” approaches to discipline, such as restorative justice practices, which emphasize conflict resolution.

In steering away from on-campus police officers, the board cited data showing that Black students and those with disabilities were disciplined and arrested at school at disproportionately higher rates than their peers.

Schools that implemented restorative justice saw a drop in student arrests, according to a recent study.

The board decision drew substantial support, including from organizations that had pushed for years to get rid of on-campus police officers and use the money on other resources, such as more social workers or alternative discipline practices.

But it also triggered a backlash from community members and elected officials who want local councils — not the board — to decide whether their schools should have school resource officers.

Froy Jimenez, member of the district’s Local School Council Advisory Board, said Rep. Gill is “doing the city a big favor” by letting councils make the decision. Many parents, students and staff will be happy if the bill passes, said Jimenez, who is also a teacher at Hancock College Preparatory High School, which voted to remove its resource officers.

“Some will choose not to, and having that ability is crucial,” he said.

CPS spokesperson Sylvia Barragan said in a statement that the district “follows the policies and procedures set by the Board of Education and the Illinois State Board of Education” and that the district “remains committed to working with our leaders, administrators, and school staff toward improving efforts to bolster student safety and protection.”

Lawmakers say ‘hands off’ selective enrollment schools

The second bill, House Bill 5766, would prevent the closure of any school with selective admissions criteria — such as the city’s 11 selective high schools — until Feb. 1, 2027. The bill also calls for a halt to any changes to admissions criteria for selective schools or any decrease in funding to selective schools until 2027.

The bill is a response to the board resolution stating that it would rethink the school choice system and invest more resources in neighborhood schools. The resolution criticized admissions policies at selective enrollment and other “choice” schools, which were originally created to desegregate the school system but have in recent years led to segregation along the lines of student race and income.

Rep. Margaret Croke, a Democrat serving neighborhoods on the city’s northern lakefront who is sponsoring the bill, said her constituents were concerned about changes to selective enrollment schools under a majority appointed school board. They would rather wait for changes to be made after the Chicago Board of Education is fully elected during 2026, she said.

“If an elected school board that has been elected by the city of Chicago decides to take a position or action as it pertains to selective enrollment schools, I may not agree with it, but they were elected by the constituents and the voters of the city of Chicago,” said Croke.

Croke said she believes the current board is trying to change the funding formula to provide less money to selective enrollment and give more to neighborhood schools. The board’s resolution states that it wants to “ensure equitable funding and resources across schools within the District using an equity lens.”

Board members have expressed a desire to scrutinize charter schools more closely. They also want the district to provide more resources to neighborhood schools, or a child’s zoned school, in order to support “students furthest away from opportunity and ensure that all students have access to a world-class public pre-K through 12th-grade education,” officials said.

The board’s resolution did not include any language about closing schools, and board members have stated they don’t plan to close selective-enrollment schools. Written into the compromise hybrid school board bill in 2021 was a moratorium on school Chicago closures until after Jan. 15, 2025.

The resolution didn’t call for specific changes; board members said they want to hear from the public on what the district should do. The resulting plan will be part of the district’s five-year strategic plan, which the board is expected to vote on this summer.

Community groups call for better engagement

The pushback in Springfield comes after a coalition of community groups in Chicago sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson urging him to push his hand-picked school board to do more — and better — community engagement.

The letter, which was sent to other elected officials, city staff, district officials, and school board members, also asked that the resolution on rethinking school choice policies, among other things, be repealed because it “was crafted with no input from the communities it will impact” and was published and approved during the final week of classes before winter break.

“There wasn’t a public comment opportunity when the resolution was announced. And then it just kind of passed,” said Daniel Anello, executive director of Kids First Chicago, a parent advocacy organization that helped create the letter.

In December, district officials said they would hold community engagement sessions in February. A Chicago Public Schools spokesperson said last week that the district now plans to hold community engagement sessions around the next five-year strategic plan after spring break, which is the last week of March.

Becky Vevea contributed reporting.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Samantha Smylie is the state education reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago, covering school districts across the state, legislation, special education, and the state board of education. Contact Samantha at ssmylie@chalkbeat.org.

Most NYC school safety agents are now wearing bulletproof vests. The change is unsettling for some.

2024-02-14T19:30:13+00:00

Most of the school safety agents working in New York City schools have quietly added a new item to their uniforms: bulletproof vests.

A NYPD spokesperson confirmed that about 3,000 of the roughly 4,100 school safety agents across the city are now wearing “bullet resistant” vests since the department began distributing them this school year, with the rest on the way.

The police department is rolling out the vests citywide as a safety measure for the agents amid elevated levels of neighborhood youth gun violence and a spike in guns turning up at city schools in recent years. School safety agents don’t carry guns.

But the arrival of the vests has often come with little warning or explanation to school communities, stirring mixed reactions from families, educators, and school safety agents themselves.

Alex Estes, the president of the Parent Teacher Association at the Neighborhood School in the East Village, was caught off guard when he noticed the safety agent at his son’s school wearing a vest last month.

“You’re not going to find a better-informed parent,” he said of his level of involvement, yet he had no idea about the change.

He worried about how the children at the elementary school where his son is in first grade might respond — or whether the youngest children might understand the change, hear things from older kids about the vests, or even be able to articulate their concerns. The children feel like the school is their home, and many hug their school safety agent, Estes said.

“They see her. They hug her. They care about her. Then all of a sudden … this hug has a bulletproof vest,” he said. “Five-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds aren’t fantastic about reporting what it is that’s making them uncomfortable, and the way this is rolling out is not taking that into account at all.”

An NYPD spokesperson didn’t respond to a question about what the department has done to prepare schools, aside from saying, “NYC Public Schools … have been notified.”

An Education Department spokesperson referred questions to the NYPD.

One Manhattan principal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the school was given “zero warning” that safety agents would be showing up in vests, even though administrators had met with school safety agents just days earlier.

“The first people we see are school safety … to walk in and be greeted by bulletproof vests is alarming for students and staff,” the principal said. “Your immediate thought is, ‘What happened?’”

Some school safety agents feel conflicted about their new apparel

One Manhattan high school safety agent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said she appreciated the extra layer of protection, but worried about the “message” it communicated to students.

“I think we should have had a whole conversation with the schools first to prepare them,” the agent said. Though she believes that “kids can adapt” to the changes, some concerned parents asked whether there was a threat they should know about, the agent said. She feared that wearing a vest made it seem like safety agents weren’t succeeding at their jobs of keeping schools safe.

The plan to outfit school safety agents with vests, first reported last summer by the New York Daily News, follows a pilot program last year, and multiple years of lobbying from the union representing school safety agents. NYPD officials said the pilot program “aided in the safety of our School Safety Agents,” but didn’t provide further details, including where the pilot took place or how they determined its success.

The terms “bulletproof” and “bullet resistant” are often used interchangeably for vests, but some experts have said the former is a misnomer because vests aren’t impervious to all bullets.

No guns have been fired in city schools in decades, but multiple shootings have occurred right outside schools around dismissal time, including one in Williamsburg last February that injured two students and a security guard.

More than 20 guns were confiscated from students at city schools during the 2021-22 school year, a marked increase since before the pandemic. So far this school year, seven guns have been seized at schools, compared to nine during the same period last school year, according to the NYPD.

The distribution of the vests is one of several changes school and police officials have made in response to the concerns about gun violence. Last school year, the NYPD changed the frequency of school safety agents’ radios to connect them more directly to NYPD precincts, and city schools are rolling out door locking and camera systems at all elementary schools this year.

Officials previously indicated that the door locking upgrades would cost around $78 million total. An NYPD spokesperson didn’t respond to a question about the cost of the vests.

One Brooklyn elementary school principal said he appreciated some of those recent safety upgrades. But the transition to bulletproof vests for school safety agents felt extreme.

“I would want her [the School Safety Agent] to be safe in all situations, but it seems like it’s going from zero to a hundred given that the door wasn’t even secured three months ago,” said the principal, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The agent has complained the vest is bulky and uncomfortable to wear all day, and “she doesn’t feel like there’s an active threat to her safety that [the vest] would protect her from.”

Bulletproof vests not supposed to be visible to students

The new vests are supposed to fly under the radar. An NYPD spokesperson said in a statement they are supposed to be “worn underneath the uniform shirt and may never be the outer most garment.”

But school safety agents who spoke to Chalkbeat said that their uniform shirts aren’t tailored to fit over the vests, and that they still haven’t received new shirts. They were wearing their vests outside their uniform shirts, though one was covering it with a sweater, and others wore their uniform-issued jackets over the vests.

The vests, which NYPD officials said are “durable and lightweight,” are supposed to be worn at all times when safety agents are on duty, including when they’re staffing “safe corridors” outside of schools to help students on their commutes.

Many families and educators still haven’t noticed the vests. For those who have, they’ve often come as a surprise.

Some schools are making their own efforts to inform their communities and answer any questions.

After their safety agent got her vest, the Neighborhood School administrators sent a note to families letting them know they would be paying attention to whether children bring up the issue, and they asked parents to encourage their children to talk to trusted adults at the school if they needed to.

Estes, the PTA president, feels frustrated overall with various moves to “harden” schools, believing the focus instead should be on reforming gun laws.

“We want to keep the security officers safe,” Estes said, “but the other problem I have with this is that every time we’re talking about school security measures, we are taking up the slack of the gun laws.”

Alex Zimmerman contributed to this story.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee budgets $144 million for statewide school vouchers

2024-02-06T02:39:16+00:00

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Gov. Bill Lee renewed his call for private school vouchers for any student across Tennessee on Monday, and he also set aside $144 million in his proposed state budget to pay for the new program for up to 20,000 students in its first year.

For traditional public schools, the Republican governor asked the legislature to raise the annual base pay for teachers from $42,000 to $44,500, in keeping with his pledge last year to get the profession’s minimum salary to $50,000 by the 2027-28 school year. (Raising the base pay has a domino effect and increases the pay of more experienced teachers, too.)

Lee also wants to invest $200 million to grow state parks and natural areas while simultaneously cutting corporate taxes amid a downturn in state revenues. But he maintained that Tennessee has “a very strong economy” to pay for all the changes.

The governor outlined his list of wants Monday evening during his 2024 address before the General Assembly, which will take up Lee’s voucher proposal and the budget in the months ahead.

He opened his remarks by calling Tennessee a “model for economic prosperity” and reminding lawmakers that state revenues are still 40% higher than three years ago.

However, after years of being flush with cash, the state faces a $610 million budget shortfall this year, and many lawmakers are leery of approving a universal school voucher program that Lee wants to be available to any K-12 student in 2025-26. Currently, Tennessee offers vouchers to about 3,000 low-income families in three urban counties, but his Education Freedom Scholarship Act would open them up to families in all 95 counties, eventually with no family income restrictions.

Gov. Bill Lee

“2024 is the year to make school choice a reality for every Tennessee family,” he said, drawing a standing ovation from many legislators — but not everyone in the GOP-controlled legislature — as well as frequent jeers from some spectators in the gallery.

“There are thousands of parents in this state who know their student would thrive in a different setting, but the financial barrier is simply too high,” Lee continued. “It’s time that we change that. It’s time that parents get to decide — and not the government — where their child goes to school and what they learn.”

Lee, a Williamson County businessman who graduated from public schools in Franklin, near Nashville, touted more than $1.8 billion in new investments in public education since he became governor in 2019.

“We can give parents choice and support public schools at the same time,” he said. “You’ll hear me say that over and over again. These two ideas are not in conflict.”

The governor also released his $52.6 billion state government spending plan to begin July 1. The total was down from Tennessee’s $62.5 billion budget for the current fiscal year because of flattening revenues and expiring federal funds appropriated during the pandemic.

He proposed $8 million to hire 114 more school-based behavioral health specialists amid record reports of students experiencing stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges exacerbated by the pandemic.

Other recurring funding recommendations include $30 million to pay for summer learning programs; $3.2 million to expand access to advanced placement courses for high school students; and $2.5 million to pay for a universal reading screener as part of the state’s literacy initiative, all to offset federal funding that is drying up.

Lee is asking for $15 million in one time funding to help charter schools with facility costs.

The governor also announced that his administration will bring the legislature a bill designed to help parents oversee their child’s social media activity.

“It will require social media companies to get parental consent for minors to create their own accounts in Tennessee,” Lee said.

Such legislation would widen the state’s push against social media giants.

Last fall, Tennessee joined a coalition of states suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, which is accused of violating consumer protection laws and deceptively marketing its platforms to adolescents to the detriment of their mental health.

And some Tennessee school districts have joined a growing list of school systems nationwide that are suing major social media companies like TikTok and YouTube over a crisis in student mental health.

But in the wake of last year’s shooting at a private Nashville school — where three children, three staff members, and the shooter died — the governor offered no new initiatives aimed at improving school safety or decreasing gun violence, other than funding to hire 60 more state troopers.

Last year, after the March 27 tragedy, the legislature approved $140 million in grants to place an armed law enforcement officer in every Tennessee public school. But the legislature rebuffed the governor’s call for a law to help keep guns out of the hands of people deemed at risk of hurting themselves or others.

Remarks about Lee’s universal voucher plan, announced in November, drew quick responses from the leaders of the state’s two largest teacher organizations.

“The concept of universal vouchers would be costly to the state, and we urge the Tennessee General Assembly to move slowly,” said JC Bowman, executive director of the Professional Educators of Tennessee.

“In particular, we have concerns over the lack of income-eligibility requirements and accountability,” he continued. “Our state must avoid any program viewed as a tax subsidy for existing private school families or a tax bailout for struggling private schools.”

Tanya T. Coats, president of the Tennessee Education Association, said Lee’s plan shows that vouchers have never been about helping economically disadvantaged families, as the governor first characterized it in 2019.

“The goal has always been to privatize public education and use public dollars to fund private school education, which goes against our Tennessee values,” Coats said.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

5 students arrested, 25 ticketed by SROs in Denver schools in first semester, report shows

2024-01-26T00:41:11+00:00

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Police officers have returned to Denver high schools after a years-long hiatus, but new data suggests they are arresting and ticketing students less frequently than before.

In the first semester of this school year, school resource officers — or SROs — stationed at 13 Denver high schools arrested five students and ticketed 25, according to district data that Chalkbeat obtained through an open records request.

In 2019-20, the last full school year that SROs were stationed in Denver schools, there were 30 student arrests and 160 tickets issued on those same 13 campuses, according to data from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice.

It’s not clear from the 2019-20 data how many of those actions took place in the first semester, but it seems that the pace of ticketing and arrests has slowed this school year.

A similar slowdown occurred in the final two months of last school year, when SROs were temporarily reintroduced following a shooting inside East High School, which set off a heated debate about safety in Denver schools.

Though tickets and arrests are down, Black students are still disproportionately policed. A third of the students who were arrested or ticketed in the first semester of this school year, from August through December, were Black. But only 13% of Denver Public Schools students are Black.

Meanwhile, only 6% of the students ticketed or arrested in the first semester of this school year were white. A quarter of all DPS students are white.

About half of the tickets and arrests involved Hispanic or Latino students, who make up about 50% of DPS.

The data shows that two of the five student arrests were for motor vehicle theft. The other three arrests were for possession of a handgun, first degree assault, and robbery.

Eight of the 30 tickets were issued to students for public fighting. Seven tickets were for assault. One ticket was issued for unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon, which could be a firearm or a knife, and another was issued for possession of a handgun.

It does not appear that the student who was arrested for a handgun and the student who was ticketed for a handgun were the same student. The student arrested was a 14-year-old male and the student ticketed was a 16-year-old male. The report doesn’t explain why one student was arrested and the other was ticketed.

Police officers were phased out of Denver schools in 2020 and 2021 because of concerns about the over-policing of Black students. The Denver school board voted to remove SROs following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis.

The East High shooting in March sparked a push to bring SROs back. When the Denver school board voted in June to permanently return police to schools, board members asked DPS to monitor tickets and arrests and “notify the Board if the district is aware of a disproportionate number of citations and arrests across marginalized identities.”

Board President Carrie Olson said the board got its first monitoring report on Dec. 31. SROs returned to Denver schools in August, and the monitoring reports were supposed to be quarterly. But because DPS did not finalize an agreement about the SROs with the Denver Police Department until late September, the reporting timeline was pushed back.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Vouchers, school safety, retention: Key education issues to watch as Tennessee lawmakers return

2024-01-08T11:00:00+00:00

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization covering public education in communities across America. Sign up for our free Tennessee newsletter to keep up with state education policy and the Shelby County public school system.

Five years after a bruising legislative battle opened the door to private school vouchers in parts of Tennessee, lawmakers are preparing to take up a controversial bill to create a similar program statewide.

Gov. Bill Lee’s universal voucher proposal, which eventually would make all K-12 students eligible to use public funding to attend a private or home school, is expected to dominate debate after the 113th General Assembly reconvenes on Tuesday.

But other issues affecting students and educators are sure to emerge in a state where education reform has been front and center since 2010, when Tennessee won $500 million in the federal Race to the Top competition to jumpstart changes.

And if the last few years are any indication, a few surprises may surface in the months ahead. Politics and tragedy have shaken up the education priorities of several recent sessions, from an 11th-hour Republican drive in 2021 to restrict classroom discussions about racism and bias to last year’s deadly Nashville school shooting that led to new investments in campus safety and dramatic protests over Tennessee’s lax gun laws.

With the GOP supermajority setting the agenda again this year, here’s a look at some big issues to watch as the opening gavel falls.

School vouchers: Lee’s expansion plan renews long-running debate

In November, the governor said he’ll introduce a new Education Freedom Scholarship Act to offer $7,075 in taxpayer money for each of up to 20,000 students statewide next school year to attend a private or home school, with eligibility restrictions for half of them. In 2025, eligibility would open up to all students, regardless of their family’s income.

The proposal would mark a massive expansion of Tennessee’s voucher program, which is now limited to three urban counties and still under-enrolled. But more than a month after Lee’s announcement, few details have been released.

“I have yet to understand where the financing is coming from,” said Sen. Page Walley, a Republican whose district includes eight rural counties in West Tennessee.

“If we jump to statewide vouchers, I don’t see how we fund it without robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he added.

School safety: Renewed discussion, but no gun laws (it’s an election year)

Tennesseans were unnerved when an armed intruder shot and killed three children and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on March 27, in the middle of last year’s legislative session. And the growing impact of gun violence on kids across the state is undeniable.

But Republican lawmakers’ response last year was to further harden schools rather than entertain any proposals to restrict gun access — not even for people who are deemed at risk of hurting themselves or others, as the Nashville shooter had been.

“We’ll be back in January,” parents wanting stricter gun laws vowed in August after a special session on public safety yielded little action on guns.

Spectators watch the Tennessee Senate doing business at the State Capitol during a special legislative session on public safety in August 2023. Lawmakers were called back by Gov. Bill Lee after a mass school shooting in Nashville in March.

Some of them have organized news conferences and rallies at the Capitol this week for students, educators, and others to voice their concerns. Meanwhile, a group of parents from The Covenant School in Nashville, where the tragedy took place, say they’ll continue to advocate for changes to “ensure responsible firearm ownership, safe schools, and accessible adequate mental health care for all individuals across Tennessee.”

GOP leaders anticipate the legislature will revisit many of the proposals left on the table.

They include several measures to let certain citizens or school employees carry handguns in schools, and a bill to require all public and private schools to create alarm policies that differentiate emergencies for fire, weather, or an active shooter.

A new bill, from Republican Sen. Mark Pody of Lebanon and Rep. Susan Lynn of Mount Juliet, would let schools purchase lanyards equipped with emergency alert buttons for school staff to wear around their necks.

But don’t expect the legislature to look seriously at bills to restrict gun access in an election year, according to several key Republicans.

“I do not believe there’s an appetite or pathway to success for any legislation that might be introduced that is going to infringe on constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens,” said Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, of Franklin.

With the latest State of the Child report ranking Tennessee near the bottom nationally for access to mental health resources, Johnson sees more room for discussion on that topic.

“I think a big conversation in the coming session will be how we strengthen our mental health safety net,” Johnson said, “as well as general access to mental health treatment in Tennessee.”

Third-grade reading law: Lawmakers may revisit retention provision — again

Last year, the legislature widened the criteria, beginning this school year, for determining which third graders are at risk of being held back if they aren’t deemed proficient readers under a 2021 law targeting pandemic learning lag.

Now under the same law, the state may have to retain thousands of fourth graders who test poorly this spring.

“I think we have to look into it,” said Rep. Mark White of Memphis, who chairs a House education committee. “We’ve probably got a lot of fourth graders who have already done summer school and tutoring but still won’t pass that test. It’s never a bad thing to have off-ramps and waivers.”

He added: “I want us to continue looking closer at kindergarten, first, and second grades so we’re not waiting until the third and fourth grades to address these challenges.”

But Sen. Jon Lundberg, who chairs his chamber’s education panel, is less inclined to make more changes in the 2021 law.

“We’ve set the standard for proficiency and for showing adequate growth, and I don’t want to move those,” he said.

Federal education funding: Talk about rejecting it looks like just talk, for now

House Speaker Cameron Sexton surprised many in his own party last year when he floated the idea of Tennessee rejecting more than a billion dollars in federal funding for students, which he said could be offset with state tax revenues.

In November, a task force appointed by Sexton and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally held hearings to explore the possibility. But Lundberg, the panel’s co-chairman, told Chalkbeat afterward that he didn’t expect the state to reject federal funds, even if it can find a way.

Legislative leaders polled by Chalkbeat last week said they haven’t heard of any legislation coming out of the hearings.

“It doesn’t hurt to know where our funding is coming from and how it’s being spent,” said White, the House’s education leader, said of the task force’s discussions, “but I don’t see that conversation going anywhere in the short term.”

Teacher shortages: Vacancies could lead to creative thinking

With Sexton declaring that Tennessee has enough state revenues to cover more than $1 billion in federal funding, plenty of public school advocates asked why the state wouldn’t use that excess instead to accelerate the governor’s plan to raise the minimum salary for teachers to $50,000 by 2027. (This year, the base is $42,000.)

Districts struggled to fill nearly 4,000 vacancies statewide last school year, especially in the middle grades, English as a second language, world languages, and special education, according to one report. And shortages of school bus drivers are a nationwide problem.

Lee told reporters that, while state revenues have flattened in recent months, Tennessee’s economy remains strong.

Gov. Bill Lee speaks with reporters on Thursday after a tour of a Nashville ministry. “We should probably look at our investments in public school funding and investments in teacher pay every year,” he said when asked about the prospect of accelerating pay increases.

“We should probably look at our investments in public school funding and investments in teacher pay every year,” he said when asked about the prospect of accelerating pay increases.

But with the teaching profession facing a post-pandemic crisis in Tennessee and nationally, the legislature could also pursue other avenues to elevate the profession.

Currently, the state covers less than half of health insurance premiums for its teachers, while state employees get 100% of their premiums covered. Moving teachers to the state employee plan could be a boost to both teachers and the local districts that employ them.

Professional Educators of Tennessee has also called on the legislature to develop policies to address child care access and affordability for teachers, more than 80% of whom are female.

“If you want to keep good teachers,” said Executive Director JC Bowman, “ease their burdens so they can focus on their work in school to educate and nurture our future generation.”

To follow this year’s legislative business, visit the General Assembly’s website for calendars, committees, legislation, and livestreams.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

Thousands of NYC school staffers aren’t enrolled in a pension. A new law could change that.

2023-12-13T21:35:58+00:00

A quirk in New York City’s pension system has for years kept tens of thousands of the city’s lowest-paid employees from reaping the benefits of a city-subsidized retirement, according to pension fund and union officials.

New York City’s Board of Education Retirement System, or BERS, which covers school crossing guards, cafeteria workers, aides, parent coordinators, and other non-teaching school staff, stands alone among the city’s five pension funds in not automatically enrolling eligible members in a pension plan.

Many workers don’t know they have the option of signing up for a pension, or simply assume they were automatically enrolled, said Sanford Rich, the executive director of BERS. As a result, roughly 35,000 employees eligible for a pension are not enrolled, according to BERS data.

But new legislation signed over the weekend by Gov. Kathy Hochul is poised to change that system.

The law, sponsored by Queens Assemblywoman Stacy Pfeffer Amato, D-Queens, and Sen. Robert Jackson, D-Manhattan, will make enrollment in the BERS pension system “opt-out,” rather than “opt-in,” for the first time.

“I personally believe this corrects an injustice in the city,” Rich said.

Rich said he’s had to break the news to city workers who retired after decades of service and thought they were on track to receive pension benefits that “‘you never joined, you don’t have a retirement package, and there’s nothing you can do about it.’”

One woman was so distraught that he had to sit with her for hours so she could work up the courage to go home and tell her husband, he said.

But starting July 1 of next year, under the new law, all of the eligible but unenrolled members will be signed up automatically for a pension plan. They’ll have 90 days to opt out. If they hadn’t previously been paying into the pension, they have the option of purchasing previous years of service by paying greater installments.

Officials at DC37 Local 372, the union representing the affected workers, have pushed for years for state legislation to make enrollment in the Board of Education Retirement System automatic and bring it in line with the city’s other pension funds. But previous legislative efforts were met with vetoes from the governor, including one from Hochul in 2022.

A tragedy this year that sparked a new wave of advocacy may have helped turn the tide.

In October, Krystyna Naprawa, a beloved elementary school crossing guard, was struck and killed by a truck while on the job in Queens. The tragedy drew the attention of officials across the city, including Mayor Eric Adams, who called Naprawa “the best of us,” and delivered a eulogy at her funeral.

After Naprawa’s death, her son Tomasz Naprawa, a Port Authority police officer, went to collect the pension he assumed she’d been paying into, only to discover she wasn’t enrolled.

Tomasz Naprawa said it’s extremely unlikely his mom would have knowingly opted out of a pension, especially since she was planning to retire in her native Poland.

“I was like, ‘Wow, that’s crazy,’” he recalled of the discovery that she wasn’t enrolled. “I honestly thought it was automatic.”

Tomasz Naprawa worked with officials at DC37 to bring renewed attention to the pension loophole and legislation to close it.

At Krystyna Naprawa’s funeral, Adams publicly committed to “sit down with the leaders of the Senate and Assembly to see how we can resolve” the pension issue.

But the battle didn’t end there. According to union officials, Adams administration officials initially objected to the bill on financial grounds. City officials say they’re facing a grim fiscal situation and have enacted cuts across all agencies – cuts DC37 recently filed a lawsuit to try to halt. An Adams spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The city will likely have to chip in between $17 million and $22 million extra a year in employer contributions for the new enrollees, according to an analysis by the chief actuary of the city’s pension funds.

When the legislation stalled in the governor’s office, Tomasz Naprawa and union officials renewed their push. Naprawa penned a Nov. 15 letter to Adams urging him to follow through on his commitment and support the bill.

The years of advocacy finally paid off last weekend. Adams administration officials rescinded their objection, and Hochul signed the bill on Dec. 8, union officials said.

“This was long overdue,” said DC37 Local 372 President Shaun Francois in a statement. “Persistence” overcame the “resistance,” he added.

The change is too late to benefit Tomasz Naprawa, but he thinks his mom would’ve been happy to know the advocacy she helped inspire will improve the lives of her colleagues.

“Me and my sister are getting none of these benefits … but going forward it’s nice to know if there’s another tragedy five,10,15 years from now that family will reap all the benefits they’re entitled to,” he said. “I think she’s looking down on us and she’s happy.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Detroit district fires Moses Field principal accused of covering up abuse allegations

2023-11-15T23:35:18+00:00

The Detroit school board fired the principal of Moses Field Center after the district found that he failed to properly investigate and report incidents of alleged abuse at the school for students with special education needs.

Derrick Graves, a longtime Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, lied about his failure to report the incidents to authorities and provided contradictory statements about when he learned of the abuse allegations, according to a district investigation report.

Graves was one of three district employees fired during Tuesday’s school board meeting. The only board member to oppose his termination was Sherry Gay-Dagnogo.

The others fired were a Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School paraprofessional, identified in board documents by the initials “DC,” who allegedly brought a loaded gun onto district grounds; and Northwestern High School security guard Antar Otis, who was accused of assaulting a student.

A seventh-grade teacher at Ronald Brown Academy, identified only by the initials “RL,” accused of being verbally and physically abusive to students, was suspended for 30 days without pay.

Graves is the second Moses Field employee fired by the district over the abuse allegations, which surfaced earlier this year and have led to a lawsuit against the district.

Felicia Perkins, a paraprofessional, was fired in June and arraigned in Wayne County Court in May on charges of fourth-degree child abuse, and assault and battery. She is accused of leading a 12-year-old boy “by his neck to the main office,” where she “swatted” him and “snatched an item from his hand,” according to a district report.

Days later, the report said, she swatted another student, “aggressively pulling the arm and chair (of the student) in response to him holding a shoe in her direction.”

Another Moses Field paraprofessional was also investigated for alleged abuse, but a review by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office found insufficient evidence to bring charges in that case.

Dash Sadiku, a Detroit Federation of Teachers building representative and physical education teacher at Moses Field, spoke in support of Graves at the board meeting, with five staff members surrounding her. She asked that Graves be reinstated, saying he is an exceptional leader who has served the district for 27 years. Sadiku mentioned the Moses Field parents who have filed a lawsuit against DPSCD alleging that it covered up acts of child abuse.

“They have not only tarnished the reputation of our staff and the legacy of our school, but are now threatening our careers and our livelihoods,” Sadiku said. “We, the collective staff at Moses Field, have sought support from the senior DPSCD administration on numerous occasions throughout the year, pleading for intervention and resolution to the accusations and threats we faced. Instead of protecting us from harassment, today we find ourselves without our trusted leader, Mr. Graves, who has been unfairly targeted.”

Ronald Brown Academy teacher admitted assaulting student

The school board suspended teacher “RL” at Ronald Brown Academy after Principal Deanna Hunt and Dean of Culture LaMar Tyler received complaints from his students in February, saying that the teacher was fat-shaming them and making comments about their genitalia. In addition, 45 students submitted written statements alleging RL made inappropriate comments like, “Your (expletive) is too big to be doing certain things,” the class is “ugly and won’t be nothing,” and that the class was “slow.”

In March, DPSCD claims a physical incident occurred, with RL grabbing, hitting, and pushing a student.

Three parents, including the parent of the child who was allegedly hit, submitted written complaints, saying RL was rude, immature, and disrespectful in meetings they had with him to discuss their children.

During RL’s investigatory interview, he admitted to grabbing and hitting the male student, saying that was the only student he assaulted. The teacher also admitted that he regularly used inappropriate language when engaging with students, although he denied that he called the class stupid. After the investigatory interview, RL provided a written statement apologizing for his conduct, saying he “made a mistake” and it “would not happen again.”

Thurgood Marshall educator brought weapon on district property

According to the district report, “DC” from Thurgood Marshall admitted to having a loaded firearm on district property. The firearm had 15 rounds, including one round in the chamber, as well as an additional magazine loaded with 12 live rounds. DC said she was carrying the gun unknowingly and brought it on district property by accident. She also failed to report the incident to the school administration before it was discovered.

Confrontation escalated at Northwestern

The action against Otis, the security guard, involved an Oct. 4 confrontation with a 17-year-old Northwestern student that escalated in the hallway. In a video of the incident, the student is seen struggling as Otis pinned him to the floor.

During a news conference last month, the student, who asked to not be identified, said he had a brief confrontation with the security guard in September over wearing a hoodie in school. He said that he believed the situation was resolved after a fist bump, but that it escalated after the guard made threatening comments.

According to the district report, Otis had his arm around the back of the teen’s neck and his arm in a hold, even when Dean of Culture Eric Gaston attempted to break up the fight. Otis said that he did this to avoid being assaulted further. The guard also told investigators that two other students were attempting to punch him while he was pinning down the 17-year-old, but security footage shows them trying to pull Otis off of the student.

The guard bent the teen’s arm and wrist backward three times before standing up and releasing him. The student said he sustained injuries to his mouth, arm, and wrist.

His family filed a $15 million lawsuit against DPSCD, accusing the district of negligence, assault, and emotional distress. The security guard was “immediately removed and placed on administrative leave” following the incident, according to a statement from DPSCD spokeswoman Chrystal Wilson.

“The district does not tolerate abuse of students and will take necessary disciplinary action, including termination after its investigation is complete and all of the facts regarding the incident are determined,” Wilson said.

Micah Walker is a reporter for BridgeDetroit, where she covers arts, culture, and education. Contact Micah at mwalker@bridgedetroit.com.

Ethan Bakuli is a reporter for Chalkbeat Detroit covering Detroit Public Schools Community District. Contact Ethan at ebakuli@chalkbeat.org.

Suspensions and bullying plunged as many students learned remotely, national data shows

2023-11-15T21:52:14+00:00

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The number of students who were suspended or arrested at school fell dramatically during the first full school year of the pandemic, new federal data released Wednesday show.

And though disparities in who got suspended or arrested at school persisted along lines of race and disability, in some cases, those gaps narrowed considerably, especially for Black students.

The data for the 2020-21 school year, released by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, echoes earlier reports from some school districts and states. But it’s the first to fully capture what discipline looked like across America’s schools early in the pandemic, when large shares of students were learning remotely.

“Some of these data are not easy to look at,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona told reporters Wednesday. “These data are a reminder that we have a lot of work to do.”

The data come as many schools wrestle with how discipline should look in the wake of a pandemic that left many students with greater social and emotional needs. Some states have considered laws that would give schools broader latitude to suspend students, and some districts have brought back school police following concerns over student behavior and safety.

The report reflects a time when 88% of schools provided a combination of in-person and remote instruction, federal data show, while another 5% offered only remote instruction. The following year, when most students returned to fully in-person learning, many schools reported an uptick in behavioral issues, and some districts suspended a larger-than-usual share of students.

Suspensions and expulsions had been falling for years even before COVID hit, as many schools took steps to curb disciplinary practices that removed students from the classroom. But the declines during the 2020-21 school year were much steeper.

The drops likely reflect a combination of fewer students learning in person and a reticence among educators to remove students from the classroom at a time when many kids craved in-person contact with their teachers and peers. But the data does not capture some of the new or informal disciplinary practices that cropped up during the pandemic, such as removals from a Zoom classroom or requiring a student to learn remotely as a form of punishment.

Around 639,000 K-12 students were suspended from school at least once during the first full year of the pandemic, down from 2.5 million students during the 2017-18 school year, the last period with comparable data.

That represents a staggering 75% decline. (For comparison, suspensions dropped around 11% from the 2013-14 school year to 2017-18 school year.)

Similarly, the number of students who experienced an in-school suspension fell by 70%. The number of students who were referred to law enforcement dropped by 73%. And the number of students who were arrested at school plummeted 84% to around 8,900.

Education department officials cautioned against drawing too many conclusions from an anomalous school year filled with disruptions for both students and the staff who collect this data.

Public school enrollment dropped by 1.7 million students, or 3%, between the 2017-18 and 2020-21 school years. And schools were not required to report whether students who were disciplined were learning in person or remotely. To address that, federal officials are collecting the same data for the 2021-22 school year — the first-ever back-to-back effort.

Still, it’s notable that Black boys and students with disabilities continued to receive a disproportionate share of suspensions from school. Black boys made up 8% of the nation’s K-12 enrollment during the 2020-21 school year, but they received 18% of suspensions from school. Similarly, students with disabilities made up 17% of the nation’s enrollment, but they received 29% of suspensions.

That disparity for Black boys shrank 7 percentage points from the last time this data was collected, but the gap for students with disabilities didn’t budge.

A new disparity, meanwhile, arose regarding white boys. During the 2017-18 school year, white boys were suspended from school at a rate nearly equal to their share of enrollment. But in the first full year of the pandemic, they made up 24% of the nation’s enrollment, and received 36% of suspensions from school — a gap larger than the one for Black boys.

A top education department official said while the cause of that trend is unclear, it represents a notable departure from past data collections that merits investigation.

Black, Hispanic, and Asian students were much more likely to learn remotely during the 2020-21 school year, while white students were more likely to learn in person.

Black students and students with disabilities, meanwhile, continued to be arrested at school at higher rates than their peers, though those disparities did narrow. The gap shrank notably for Black students, who made up 15% of K-12 enrollment, but received 22% of arrests at school.

Three years ago, they made up the same share of enrollment, and experienced 32% of arrests at school.

Still, a top department official said the frequency with which students were arrested at school was deeply concerning.

Reports of bullying and harassment related to a student’s race, sex, or disability also fell notably by 64% — echoing other research that found a drop in online searches related to school bullying during that time. However, Black students were still more than twice as likely as their peers to experience race-based bullying or harassment.

Kalyn Belsha is a senior national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.

Denver Public Schools bars administrator over McAuliffe from district facilities amid investigation

2023-11-15T02:16:52+00:00

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As part of the ongoing fallout from an investigation into the use of a seclusion room at Denver’s McAuliffe International School, the school district has barred an administrator responsible for overseeing the school from all district facilities and information systems.

The administrator is Colleen O’Brien, the executive director of the Northeast Denver Innovation Zone. She oversees three semi-autonomous Denver schools, including McAuliffe, a popular middle school that has been involved in several high-profile controversies this year.

Families and educators at McAuliffe have been on edge for months and staged a “walk in” Tuesday morning to protest what they see as Denver Public Schools’ attempts to dismantle their school. Principal Kurt Dennis was fired in July after he spoke up about gun violence and safety concerns, and the district opened an investigation into the improper use of seclusion rooms at McAuliffe in August. McAuliffe’s innovation status — which allows the school extra flexibility in scheduling and programming — is also up in the air right now.

The actions against O’Brien appear to be further fallout from the seclusion room investigation.

“After a thorough and careful review of the outcomes from the ongoing investigation, it has become clear that the actions and oversight under Dr. Colleen O’Brien have been in direct conflict with district policy and the values and standards we uphold in Denver Public Schools,” the district said in a statement Tuesday.

O’Brien did not respond Tuesday to phone calls and messages seeking comment.

Anne Rowe, the chairperson of the innovation zone’s board and a former president of the DPS school board, said in an interview that a district administrator informed O’Brien of the ban at a DPS school board meeting Monday. O’Brien was at the meeting to give public comment.

“What they’ve done has made it impossible for Colleen to do the work that she does really well to support our schools, our educators, and our kids,” Rowe said, “and we’re working really hard as a board to ensure that support continues until we find a resolution to this.”

It’s not clear which policies were the basis for the district’s action against O’Brien. O’Brien is an employee of the zone, not of DPS. Even if the district concludes that she violated DPS policy, she would not be subject to firing the same way as Dennis, the former principal.

“However,” the district said in its statement, “the schools within NDIZ are filled with DPS employees and students. Given the gravity of these findings, it was necessary to take appropriate action to limit Dr. O’Brien’s access to students and staff, as well as student information.”

Last year, DPS banned vocal district critic and school founder Brandon Pryor from DPS property, but a federal judge overturned that ban in January.

At the school board meeting Monday, O’Brien expressed concerns that McAuliffe educators were worried, wondering when the internal investigation would end. She also asked that DPS hire a third party instead to conduct an investigation.

Rowe said the zone board wants the same thing and “is in the process of engaging with an independent investigator” to look into the use of the seclusion rooms.

Rowe said DPS recently gave her and another zone board member a 2½-page summary of the investigation, which DPS says is ongoing. The summary said that the use of the seclusion rooms had violated district policy, Rowe said. She said it was clear that DPS wanted the zone board to take action regarding O’Brien based on the summary.

“We said, ‘Well, as a governing board, we would like to see the evidence and the facts that underlie this summary of findings from your internal investigation,’” Rowe said.

But ultimately, Rowe said DPS denied that request.

In its statement, DPS said its ban of O’Brien “does not reflect DPS’ view of (the zone) as a whole, but is a direct response to the actions and decisions of the individual in question.

“We remain committed to the principles of innovation and excellence in education and believe that this decision is a step towards upholding these ideals,” the statement said. “We look forward to future collaborations that align with our shared goals for educational excellence.”

Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

After Oxford shooting report, a call for stricter safety training requirements falters

2023-11-14T20:42:23+00:00

Michigan’s State Board of Education on Tuesday dismissed a school safety proposal calling for stricter training requirements for public school staff to help prevent gun violence, along with greater accountability for school employees and administrators for safety lapses.

But members who opposed the resolution signaled that they’re still committed to taking steps to improve school safety and are open to taking up the proposal later.

The proposal came from Republican board member Nikki Snyder in response to the release last month of an independent report on the 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School, where a 15-year-old killed four students and injured seven others. The report found multiple failures by school officials to take steps to prevent the killings.

Snyder’s proposed resolution called for state laws requiring all school administrators and educators to receive behavioral threat assessment and management training, with the Michigan Department of Education enforcing compliance. It also called for MDE to check current student codes of conduct to make sure they align with the federal policies on notifying school resource officers of students who may pose a threat of violence.

Snyder’s proposal also called for removing any liability shield for school personnel and administrators who failed to report potential threats.

“We need to lead now in making sure this is what we expect,” Snyder said during the board meeting.

The board voted 5-3 against adding the resolution to its agenda. Republican member Tom McMillan, and board President Pamela Pugh, a Democrat, voted with Snyder.

Other members of the board agreed with Snyder that school safety is an urgent priority for the board but said they believed the proposal needed more research and input from officials before the board could consider it.

“We definitely are not voting this down and saying we don’t want to do anything with it,” said board member Tiffany Tilley, a Democrat. “We are saying we need more time. We need to make sure there is capacity to get the program, as well as MDE’s capacity to audit.”

Tilley said she would also like to work with MDE to pass additional proactive resolutions on school safety.

“There is no question that school safety is extremely important, and you’re absolutely right that this is the time to lead,” Democratic board member Judy Pritchett told Snyder. “I believe this board has been doing that.”

She cited the board’s October 2022 Resolution on Safer School Environments, which urged lawmakers to adopt Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s request for funding to support school safety and children’s mental health, as well as stronger gun safety laws.

That resolution did not recommend any new requirements in state law.

Snyder and McMillan said they voted against that resolution because it fell short of needed action.

The latest resolution “is about the requirement of that training — not the suggestion that it’s a fancy thought or a good idea,” Synder said.

Snyder added she would support amending the previously passed resolution with what she proposed.

She called the board’s choice to not take up the resolution on Tuesday “disgusting.”

“What we could do today is discuss this resolution, we could come to an agreement, and we could make a statement and lead,” she said. “And then we could work together on building the capacity to make sure students are safe and schools are safe. But you’re choosing not to do that.”

Pugh said she agrees there was room for the board to consider the resolution, but disputed the idea that it has not addressed the gun violence issue urgently enough.

“We’ve acted, and we will continue to provide guidance and support through MDE to our schools,” Pugh said.

“There are those of us who, for a long time, have been acting in urgency,” she said. “So, this resolution falls short of that urgency. We had an opportunity to give that input — and have — a year ago and have continued to work for the safety and healthy environment of children.”

Hannah Dellinger is a reporter for Chalkbeat Detroit covering K-12 education. Contact Hannah at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

KIPP Legacy High School student fatally shot near school identified

2023-11-06T21:01:40+00:00

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The KIPP Legacy High School student shot and killed near the school on Friday afternoon has been identified as 15-year-old Devin Gilbert III, according to the Marion County coroner’s office.

Gilbert was shot as he was walking home from school just before 1 p.m., the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the school said Friday. Police said the shooting was a targeted incident and no other people were injured.

IMPD homicide detectives announced on Friday night the arrest of a 15-year-old for his alleged role in the shooting, but did not release the name of the suspect. The Marion County prosecutor’s office will make the final charging decision, police said.

A spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office said charges will have to be filed in juvenile court due to the age of the suspect.

Since Gilbert’s death Friday, at least two more teenagers were shot and killed in the city over the weekend, according to the Indianapolis Star.

Legacy High School planned to have on-site support available for students and staff on Monday to help them process the tragedy, the school said in a statement on Friday.

Police urge anyone with information about the incident to call Detective Larry Craciunoiu at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475 or send an email to Larry.Craciunoiu@indy.gov. People who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Student shot and killed outside KIPP Legacy High School

2023-11-03T22:27:05+00:00

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A teenage student at KIPP Legacy High School was shot and killed Friday in a community center parking lot next to the school in what police say was a targeted shooting.

The student, who has not yet been identified, was walking home when he was shot just before 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Edna Martin Christian Center’s Leadership and Legacy Center, both the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the school said Friday afternoon.

Police have detained a teenage male suspect who they said is not a Legacy student.

KIPP Legacy has a close relationship with the center, and uses space for extracurricular programming there. The community center also reserves parking spaces in its lot for KIPP staff. Both are fixtures of the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood.

“We are in ongoing communication with the student’s family, and will continue to offer support during this extremely difficult time,” the school said in a Friday afternoon statement. “On Monday, we will have on-site supports available for students and staff as our school community processes this tragedy.”

Police said there was a disturbance at the school earlier in the day, which is being investigated, but did not elaborate further. But they said there is not enough information to conclude whether the two incidents were connected. No one else was injured in the shooting.

The homicide marks at least the fourth fatal shooting of a school-aged youth in less than two weeks in Indianapolis. One 15-year-old boy was found fatally shot on Oct. 21, and a 16-year-old girl was killed eight days later. Another 15-year-old girl was found fatally shot on Wednesday.

“It’s unacceptable that as a community, we’ve had conversations about youth violence all week, and this is how our week ends,” said IMPD Commander Matt Thomas. “It’s unacceptable that we have families hurting.”

Mayor Joe Hogsett has responded to such shootings with concerns about the accessibility of guns.

“This afternoon’s shooting of an Indianapolis teen is another example of the horrific combination of access to firearms and a failure of conflict resolution,” Hogsett said in a Friday statement. “No young person should have to worry about gun violence, let alone near a school.”

KIPP Legacy High School is a charter school within the Indianapolis Public Schools’ Innovation Network, and celebrated its first graduating class last spring.

Police urge witnesses or others with information to call the IMPD homicide office at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 to remain anonymous.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

NYPD plans to launch a school hotline for safety and mental health issues. Advocates are wary.

2023-10-26T20:40:52+00:00

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New York City’s Police Department is launching a tip line that would allow all members of school communities to report concerns about safety and mental health, though the idea has raised concerns about how law enforcement officials will use the information.

In addition to reports of potential threats against schools or other safety issues, the tip line “will also help support mental health concerns, bullying, cyberbullying, and self-harm concerns” said Inspector Kevin Taylor, head of the Police Department’s school safety division, during a City Council hearing Wednesday.

Police officials previously indicated plans to roll out the tip line this fall. A department spokesperson did not offer a more specific timeline for when it will go live.

Taylor said anyone connected to school communities, or members of the general public, will be able to report campus safety concerns 24 hours a day for any public school, including charters. Tips will be collected by phone, text message, or through an app called SaferWatch.

The move comes as concerns about school safety and mental health have intensified. Even as violent crime has trended down, the number of shooting victims under age 18 has spiked. The number of weapons confiscated on school grounds also ticked up about 9% last school year, and suspensions also trended up, though data for the full year is not yet available. Meanwhile, the number of school safety agents remains far below pre-pandemic levels.

One Bronx school administrator said she would welcome an anonymous school safety tip line. In one instance, she said a student resorted to creating a fake social media account to discreetly alert her about a screenshot that showed students with weapons in the building.

“Having a way they could report anonymously and feel comfortable would be so good,” she wrote.

But multiple advocates raised concerns about the Police Department soliciting information related to bullying and students’ mental health, and state law indicates discipline issues should be handled by school staff rather than law enforcement.

“The police should not deal with students’ mental health or behavioral issues at all, including bullying,” said Andrea Ortiz, the membership and campaign director at the Dignity in Schools Campaign New York, a group that advocates against punitive discipline. “Police are not equipped to help them in that process, so why would they be the ones to collect that information except to use it in criminalizing ways?”

A police spokesperson declined to elaborate on how information collected through the tip line will be used or why the department would gather information on bullying given that there is an existing process for reporting those issues.

Meanwhile, the union that represents school safety agents was not enthusiastic about the new reporting tools and pressed the city to hire more agents instead. “Other ideas and initiatives to stem well documented school related violence cannot substitute for more dedicated school safety agents,” Hank Sheinkopf, a spokesperson for Teamsters Local 237, wrote in a text message.

Separately, Taylor said that the city is piloting an app called SaferWatch that could function as a “panic button” that allows school safety agents to more quickly report emergencies, including shootings near or on school grounds.

He indicated using the technology was inspired by a visit to Parkland, Florida, where 17 students and staff were killed in a 2018 school shooting. In response, New York passed a law encouraging schools to adopt silent panic alarm systems.

Eventually, the app will be available to students and parents and may notify them about “serious situations that are happening in school,” Taylor said.

The app is currently being piloted at five schools: Bronx High School of Science, Brooklyn Technical High School, Hillcrest High School in Queens, Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, and P.S. 78 on Staten Island. Taylor said the city plans to expand the app citywide, but didn’t offer a timeline.

Students and staff at Stuyvesant and Bronx Science said they hadn’t heard much about the new app and weren’t sure how it was being used on campus.

Vanessa Chen, a senior at Stuyvesant, said being able to quickly report an incident through a smartphone app could be helpful, but she also wondered if it could lead to lots of false alarms. “A lot of these threats that come to our school aren’t real,” she said. “I think there comes a question of whether there’s any secondary fact-check.”

During the hearing on Wednesday, City Councilperson Jennifer Gutiérrez also raised questions about how students would use it in an emergency since some schools require that students turn in their phones during the day.

“I’ve seen this administration move forward with a number of …these new apps, and there’s a lot of holes missing,” Gutiérrez said.

Taylor indicated the priority would be to install the app on school safety agents’ phones, but hoped it could be adopted more widely among families and staff.

A police spokesperson didn’t respond to a question about how the app would enable a faster emergency response compared with school safety agents radioing for help or dialing 911. They also declined to say how much the new initiatives would cost.

Given that every school has police department safety agents stationed in them, some advocates said there was little reason to invest in additional technologies that they worry could further expand the police department’s role in schools, especially as City Hall is ordering city agencies to cut their budgets.

“We’re taking more resources from schools while the NYPD is announcing ways they can get more involved in schools,” said Johanna Miller, director of the education policy center at the New York Civil Liberties Union. “That’s absolutely the wrong direction.”

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

PODCAST: Instagram, cyberbullying, and free speech at a Queens school

2023-10-17T16:30:00+00:00

This episode is part of a collaboration between Chalkbeat and The Bell, an audio journalism program for New York City students. It also aired on The Bell’s Miseducation podcast on Oct. 17.

The threat came in an e-mailed letter from the principal to the entire student body: Stop following the anonymous Instagram accounts, or face suspension.

When Principal David Marmor of Francis Lewis High School in Queens discovered two accounts — one which posted fight videos and the other which included vulgar content that in some cases targeted specific students — he didn’t hesitate to act.

In addition to threatening suspension, he promised to cancel all “celebratory events” such as pep rallies until the accounts were deleted or lost all their followers — a dramatic step that raised questions about the line between students’ free speech online and punishable behavior.

First reported by Chalkbeat, the case immediately caught the attention of students in the Bell’s New York City high school audio journalism program. Social media’s impact on the lives as teens can’t be overstated. Anonymous Instagram pages that share confessions, photos, and videos about school communities have become increasingly common. Sometimes the content is harmless. Other times, it feeds into vicious bullying.

The Bell’s Shoaa Khan (left) and Jose Santana (right).

The Bell’s Shoaa Khan and Jose Santana called up Chalkbeat’s Alex Zimmerman to break down what happened at Francis Lewis and discuss the broader implications of Marmor’s actions. Should schools be allowed to regulate students’ social media use? If so, did this principal go too far?

This episode was hosted by Shoaa Khan, a high school senior from Manhattan, and Jose Santana, a high school senior from the Bronx.

Students’ mental health needs are growing. Here’s how one district is asking taxpayers to help.

2023-10-17T11:00:00+00:00

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After nine guns were found at Fort Wayne schools during the 2022-23 school year, a group of community members approached district leadership with an urgent request: Make schools safer.

Together with the district, a new safety committee made up of law enforcement, mental health professionals, and teachers compiled a list of recommendations to do so. Campuses needed technology updates and more school resource officers. But the group also recommended hiring additional staff to support students’ well-being.

Now, they’re asking voters to support the efforts by approving a property tax increase earmarked for school safety in the November election. At a rate of $0.10 per $100 of assessed value, the safety referendum would generate up to $12 million annually for eight years toward mental health staff and school resource officers, security improvements, and a program that teaches students nonviolence.

If passed, the referendum would create dozens of new positions at Fort Wayne schools working in tandem to address two major safety concerns schools are facing nationwide: An increase in gun violence and the number of weapons found at schools, as well ongoing strains on students’ mental health as a result of the pandemic.

Indiana schools have long relied on property tax increases to fund operations and construction. But in 2019, lawmakers also made it possible for districts to improve safety and security using tax dollars.

Only two districts have asked voters to approve safety referendums since 2019, and just one — Carmel schools — has been successful. Schools generally asked voters for fewer tax increases in the immediate aftermath of COVID, but the number has slowly risen since.

A tax referendum was a logical avenue to secure the funding needed for the committee’s recommendations, said Matt Schiebel, the district’s executive director of safety and community partnerships.

“Technology and security measures are important, but the well-being of students is as much or even more important to improving safety,” Schiebel said.

Referendum funding focuses on mental health staff

Fort Wayne schools, along with Bluffton Harrison schools in Wells County, are seeking to pass safety referendums this year in Indiana.

Bluffton Harrison schools intends to spend just over half of its estimated $445,000 in annual revenue from its referendum on additional school resource officers, and another one-quarter on student mental health supports.

Fort Wayne plans to use two-thirds of its total proposed funding for student mental health supports, like therapists, third-party counseling services, and positions known as student advocates, according to its spending plan.

Another one-quarter of the funding is planned for technology, including over $1 million next year for a weapons detection system. And the remainder is earmarked for more security personnel, including 12 additional school resource officers.

The average Fort Wayne taxpayer would pay a maximum of $76 more annually, though the bill would be less next year as the district intends to use only around $7 million of the available funds, Schiebel said.

Schiebel said the district has already leveraged other funding sources for safety, like its facilities referendum for building improvements, emergency funding for student mental health positions, as well as $100,000 from the state-funded Indiana Secured School Safety grant for a school resource officer. It also partners with the Fort Wayne Police Department and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office to place school resource officers in its middle schools.

But a safety referendum would offer more.

“Safety has always been a priority and we have always used any means necessary to do all we can,” Schiebel said.

The largest proposed expenditure — over $4 million — would go to hiring student advocates, adults who monitor hallways, parking lots, and bathrooms. They also may be responsible for de-escalating situations, but not disciplining students.

Their most important task is building positive relationships with students by serving as another adult to turn to when conflict arises, Schiebel said.

The district has already piloted the role at South Side High School through the use of federal emergency funding, which is now coming to an end, Schiebel said. Through referendum funds, the district hopes to sustainably expand the program and place two student advocates in each of its high schools, as well as one in each elementary and middle school, or 56 total.

They would join other new staff, including 18 new mental health therapists slated to serve middle and high schools.

Data indicates that students need these mental health supports more than ever, with nearly half of all Indiana students reporting feeling persistently sad or hopeless in 2021.

“Being in-person gives students the opportunity to learn social skills, to cope with people with varying viewpoints,” Schiebel said. “Our kids were isolated for 18 months. When students came back, we had to re-learn those skills.”

Expanding a student-led nonviolence program

The advocates and therapists would also work alongside students through a program known as the Peacemaker Academy, which trains high schoolers in the principles of nonviolence espoused by Martin Luther King Jr.

The district hopes to use a share of the referendum funds to expand the program, which is operated by the faith-based nonprofit Alive Fort Wayne. The pilot program has focused on South Side High School students, but the additional funding would allow the nonprofit to place coordinators in each of the five schools as well as hire a director.

Angelo Mante, executive director of Alive Fort Wayne, said the goal of the program is to teach students King’s principles of nonviolence to help them identify and address issues at their schools.

One project involved students beautifying the campus to improve school culture. Another student initiative keeps a “Peace Count” — tallying the number of days that the school has gone without seeing a fight between students. For every 10 days without a fight, students earn an extra minute for their passing period between classes.

Mante said that the combined efforts at South Side High School — of the Peacemakers, student advocates, and other security measures — have already led to a 40% reduction in violent incidents compared to this time last year, as well as more collective awareness of violence.

Students have earned their extra passing period minute twice this year compared to just once by October of last year.

“It’s highly beneficial to have all of these pieces working together,” Mante said.

Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.

Here’s what the SRO agreement between Denver Public Schools and the police department says

2023-10-13T19:23:02+00:00

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Nearly six months after police were stationed on some Denver high school campuses, the school district and the city police department signed an agreement that outlines what the officers should and should not do, according to a copy of the agreement.

For instance, the agreement says the officers should “differentiate between disciplinary issues and crime problems and respond appropriately,” and should not store guns inside schools.

The agreement — which is sometimes referred to as a memorandum of understanding, or MOU — was quietly signed last month. The lack of an agreement has been a sore spot for some parent groups and a political talking point for school board candidates.

The agreement is “a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to create a safe and supportive educational environment for all students and staff,” Denver Public Schools said in a statement.

“It is important to note that this arrangement underscores the importance of minimizing law enforcement involvement in routine school disciplinary matters and places a strong emphasis on considering alternative approaches before requesting (police) intervention.”

Police officers known as school resource officers, or SROs, temporarily returned to 13 DPS high schools in April after a March shooting inside East High School. The school board had removed SROs in 2020 over concerns about the overpolicing of Black students.

In June, a majority of board members voted to keep SROs in schools going forward. The Denver Police Department is footing the bill for 14 officers this school year. Before SROs were removed in 2020, the police department and school district split the cost.

Here’s a closer look inside the agreement. It says that:

DPS and the police department should work together to select the schools that will have an SRO. “To the extent possible, SROs should reflect the students at the school and come from the school’s community,” the agreement says.
DPS can “promptly remove” an SRO who does not follow district policies and can further request removal “for any reasonable cause DPS provides in writing” to the police department “after other attempts to correct the problem have been explored.”
Note: At least one SRO has already been removed this school year. But it was the Denver Police Department’s decision, not the decision of DPS, according to spokespeople for both agencies. The police department replaced an SRO at East High “due to a concern about involvement in a school discipline matter, which is outside the scope of work for our SROs,” department spokesperson Jay Casillas wrote in an email.
The police department will ensure that SROs are certified by the National Association of School Resource Officers, or NASRO. The topics covered in that training may include adolescent development, cultural competence, restorative justice, accommodations for students with disabilities, and the creation of safe spaces for LGBTQ students.
DPS educators will “make every effort possible to handle routine discipline … without involving the SRO in an enforcement capacity.”
DPS educators will notify SROs if a student needs accommodations because of a disability, and will notify parents as soon as possible if a student is ticketed or arrested.
DPS will monitor tickets and arrests and “take corrective action and notify the (school) Board if the district is aware of a disproportionate number of citations and arrests across marginalized identities at the district and school levels.”
DPS will cooperate with police investigations “without hindering or interfering with the Police Department’s or the assigned SRO’s official duties. This cooperation does not obligate the District to make students or staff available for interviews or interrogation.”
DPS will provide the police department with limited access to Infinite Campus, a software program that stores student information. The access “will be limited to accomplish purposes related to school safety.” Police officers will not be able to use Infinite Campus for law enforcement purposes, “including but not limited to investigation of crimes unrelated to campus safety.” DPS will audit the police department’s use.
The agreement is effective for one year, with an expiration date of July 31.

Read the full agreement below:

Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Denver board may modify expulsion policy to support more students staying in their home schools

2023-10-06T02:29:01+00:00

The Denver school board is considering modifying its policy on expulsion, which has been a topic of debate ever since a formerly expelled student shot two deans inside East High School in March. The proposal would require Denver Public Schools to offer students an alternative to expulsion that would allow the students to remain in their home schools.

There are caveats. The proposal, officially known as Executive Limitation 10.12, would only allow alternatives to expulsion “in accordance with law and whenever possible,” according to a draft of the policy discussed by the school board Thursday.

Since the shooting at East, DPS officials have held firm to their approach of using expulsion as a last resort — a stance that has mobilized some parents to push for stricter discipline. The district’s position is that even a student facing serious criminal charges can remain in their home school as long as a judge has decided the student can be out in the community.

State law says a student who brings a gun to school should be expelled for a year. But the law gives superintendents the discretion to “modify this requirement for a student on a case-by-case basis.” DPS’ policy takes advantage of that discretion. The district’s discipline matrix says bringing a gun to school results in a mandatory expulsion hearing, but not a mandatory expulsion.

DPS has expelled students for bringing weapons to school; in the 2021-22 school year, state data shows it expelled 10 students for that reason. But the district recently denied an expulsion request for a middle school student accused of attempted murder, allowing the student to stay in his home school. The alleged crime happened off campus.

Board Vice President Auon’tai Anderson wrote the expulsion policy proposal. Both he and Superintendent Alex Marrero said it would not change district practice, but rather codify it.

“In my opinion, we already do this, and it’s just putting it into board policy,” Anderson said at Thursday’s school board meeting.

The board ultimately voted 6 to 1 to move the proposal forward for further consideration. Board member Scott Baldermann was the sole no vote.

Earlier in the meeting, Baldermann offered an amendment that would have guaranteed students at risk of expulsion a seat at “an appropriate pathways school that aligns with the supports necessary” for the student. DPS has 22 pathways schools, which are middle and high schools that offer students who are off track to graduate a different pathway to do so.

Only one pathways school, PREP Academy, was specifically designed to serve students who have been expelled from other DPS schools. Other pathways schools can accept expelled students, but most enroll at PREP Academy, a district spokesperson said.

The board did not vote up or down on Baldermann’s amendment. It did not vote to adopt Anderson’s proposal either. A final vote likely won’t happen until November.

Three school board seats are up for election on Nov. 7, and Anderson is not seeking a second term. The board is scheduled to meet Nov. 16, meaning the current board could vote on the policy after Denver voters elect new board members but before those members take office.

Several board members said they still have questions about the proposal.

“I don’t know what ‘alternative to expulsion’ means,” board member Charmaine Lindsay said.

Anderson said in an interview that rhetoric from parent groups formed in the wake of the East shooting pushed him to propose the policy. He named two groups in particular: Parents-Safety Advocacy Group, known as P-SAG, and Resign DPS Board.

“We’ve seen individual groups that have tried to weaponize our discipline system against students who have learning differences or have challenging days that need extra love and care from our system,” Anderson said. “We have parent groups that have formed — and they don’t want these kids to attend our traditional schools. That’s not who Denver Public Schools is.”

Parents involved in founding those two groups said they oppose Anderson’s proposal.

“It’s going in the wrong direction,” said Steve Katsaros, a P-SAG founder. “These are kids that are crying out for help from really troubled environments, and they don’t need to be pushed into comprehensive school environments where they’re expected to all of a sudden learn.”

Heather Lamm, a founder of Resign DPS Board, which is focused on ousting the two board incumbents running for re-election in November, expressed similar sentiments.

“What’s amazing to me is that this board has decided, instead of a focus on educating kids, it is going to spend its time and resources on protecting a select few from the consequences of criminal activity,” Lamm said. “I think that’s outrageous.

“These kids deserve an education,” she said. “To say that the best way to do that for these kids or anybody else is to keep them in their home school, I would very, very much challenge that.”

In the 2021-22 school year, DPS expelled just 21 students. The neighboring suburban Cherry Creek School District, which is smaller than DPS, expelled nearly seven times as many.

Anderson said that while he trusts the current board and administration to treat expulsion as a last resort, he wants to ensure that approach is enshrined in policy before he leaves the board.

“I don’t want us to be like Cherry Creek schools,” Anderson said at the meeting.

This story has been updated to clarify the state law on expulsions.

Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, covering Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Más escuelas tienen el medicamento para revertir sobredosis, pero otras se preocupan por el estigma

2023-10-03T22:41:16+00:00

Read in English.

El año pasado, una estudiante se desmayó al salir de uno de los baños de Central High School en Pueblo, Colorado. Cuando Jessica Foster, la enfermera supervisora del distrito escolar, oyó a los angustiados amigos de la joven mencionar drogas, supo que tenía que actuar con rapidez.

Los socorristas estaban a solo cuatro minutos de distancia. “Pero aún así, cuatro minutos, si no están respirando en absoluto, son cuatro minutos demasiado largos”, dijo Foster.

Foster contó que consiguió una dosis de naloxona, un medicamento que puede revertir rápidamente una sobredosis de opioides, y se la administró a la estudiante. La niña revivió.

A 45 millas de distancia, en Colorado Springs, los funcionarios de Mitchell High School no tenían naloxona a mano cuando un estudiante de 15 años sufrió una sobredosis en clase, en diciembre de 2021, tras inhalar una pastilla de fentanilo en un baño de la escuela. Ese estudiante murió.

Desde entonces, el distrito escolar de Colorado Springs se ha unido a Pueblo y a docenas de otros distritos en el estado para suministrar a las escuelas intermedias y secundarias la medicación que salva vidas, a menudo conocida como Narcan, uno de sus nombres comerciales. Desde la promulgación de una ley estatal en 2019, Colorado cuenta con un programa que permite a las escuelas obtener el medicamento, normalmente en forma de aerosol nasal, de forma gratuita o a un costo reducido.

Sin embargo, no todas las escuelas están de acuerdo con esta idea. Aunque más distritos se han unido desde el año pasado, sólo alrededor de un tercio de los distritos de Colorado se habían inscrito en el programa de distribución estatal al inicio de este año escolar. Y en la docena de condados con las tasas de mortalidad por sobredosis de drogas más altas del estado, muchos distritos escolares no se habían inscrito debido al persistente estigma en torno a la necesidad de tener una medicación para revertir sobredosis.

La Administración de Salud Mental y Abuso de Sustancias federal (SAMHSA, por sus siglas en inglés) recomienda que las escuelas, incluidas las primarias, tengan naloxona disponible, ante el aumento de las sobredosis mortales de opioides, especialmente de la potente droga fentanilo. Y 33 estados tienen leyes que permiten expresamente a los centros escolares o a sus empleados llevar, almacenar o administrar naloxona, según Jon Woodruff, abogado director de la Legislative Analysis and public Policy Association (LAPPA), que realiza un seguimiento de las políticas sobre naloxona en todo el país.

Entre ellos, alrededor de nueve requieren que al menos algunos centros de enseñanza primaria y secundaria, de kinder a doceavo grado (K-12) almacenen naloxona en el lugar, incluido Illinois, cuya norma entrará en vigencia en enero. Algunos estados, como Maine, también requieren que las escuelas públicas ofrezcan formación a los estudiantes sobre cómo administrar naloxona en forma de aerosol nasal.

Rhode Island exige que todos los centros K-12, tanto públicos como privados, dispongan de naloxona. Joseph Wendelken, vocero del Departamento de Salud de Rhode Island, dijo que en los últimos cuatro años se administró naloxona nueve veces a jóvenes de 10 a 18 años en establecimientos educativos.

A principios de septiembre, el medicamento también empezó a venderse sin receta en todo el país, aunque el precio de $45 por envase de dos dosis preocupa a algunos especialistas en adicciones, que temen que esté fuera del alcance de quienes más lo necesitan.

Pero el medicamento todavía no está tan generalizado públicamente como los desfibriladores externos automáticos o los extintores de incendios. Kate King, presidenta de la National Associaction of School Nurses, afirmó que la reticencia a tenerlo en las escuelas puede deberse a que los funcionarios se resisten a prestar un servicio médico, o al costo que supone reabastecerse de naloxona y formar al personal para que la utilice. Pero el principal obstáculo que ha escuchado es que los centros temen ser estigmatizados como una “mala escuela” que tiene un problema de drogas, o como una escuela que tolera las malas decisiones.

“Los distritos escolares son muy cuidadosos con su imagen”, señaló Yunuen Cisneros, directora de inclusión y alcance comunitario de la Public Education & Business Coalition, que sirve a la mayoría de los distritos escolares del estado. “Muchos de ellos no quieren sumarse a este programa, porque aceptarlo es aceptar un problema de drogadicción”.

Esa es la forma equivocada de verlo, dijo King. “Hay que equipararlo a nuestro stock de albuterol para los ataques de asma, o a nuestro stock de epinefrina para el shock anafiláctico (reacción alérgica grave)”, apuntó.

Enfermera supervisora, Jessica Foster, del Distrito Escolar 60 en Pueblo, muestra paquetes de Narcan y Klaxxado. Foster ha presionado para que almacenar Narcan en todas las escuelas del distrito.

Funcionarios de salud de Colorado no pudieron precisar con qué frecuencia se había utilizado la naloxona en los centros escolares del estado. En lo que va de año, al menos 15 jóvenes de entre 10 y 18 años han muerto por sobredosis de fentanilo, pero no necesariamente en las escuelas. Y en 2022 murieron 34 en ese grupo de edad, según el Departamento de Salud Pública y Medio Ambiente del estado. Una de las víctimas fue José Hernández, de 13 años, quien murió en su casa, en agosto de 2022, por una sobredosis de fentanilo, pocos días después de comenzar el octavo grado en Aurora Hills Middle School. Su abuela encontró su cuerpo una madrugada, sobre el lavabo del baño.

Con la llegada de este nuevo año escolar, más escuelas de Colorado tienen suministros de naloxona disponibles para los estudiantes. El año pasado, los legisladores estatales asignaron $19,7 millones en ayuda federal al Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund, un fondo al que pueden acceder, entre otros, distritos escolares, cárceles, socorristas y organizaciones de servicios comunitarios.

“Es la mayor cantidad que hemos tenido”, señaló Andrés Guerrero, gerente del programa de prevención de sobredosis del departamento de salud del estado.

Según datos facilitados por el departamento de salud de Colorado, 65 distritos escolares estaban inscritos en el programa estatal para recibir naloxona a bajo precio o gratis al inicio del curso escolar. Otros 16 se habían puesto en contacto con el estado para solicitar información, pero a mediados de agosto aún no habían finalizado los pedidos. Los 97 distritos escolares restantes no disponían de naloxona en sus centros o la habían adquirido en otros lugares.

Guerrero explicó que los distritos deciden a quién capacitar para administrar el medicamento. “En algunos casos, son sólo las enfermeras escolares. En otros, son las enfermeras escolares y los profesores”, dijo. “Y, a veces, también los estudiantes”.

En Durango High School, la muerte en 2021 de un estudiante de secundaria impulsó a los alumnos a reclamar el derecho a llevar naloxona al colegio con permiso de los padres —y a administrarla en caso necesario— sin temor a ser castigados.

Hizo falta organizar una protesta durante una reunión del consejo escolar para conseguir el permiso, contó Hays Stritikus, que se graduó esta primavera de Durango. Ahora participa en la redacción de una ley que permitiría expresamente a los estudiantes de todo el estado llevar y distribuir Narcan en los centros escolares.

“El objetivo es un mundo en el que el Narcan no sea necesario”, comentó. “Pero lamentablemente no es en donde vivimos”.

Algunos expertos en salud no están de acuerdo en que todas las escuelas deban almacenar naloxona. Lauren Cipriano, economista de la salud de la Western University en Canadá, ha estudiado la efectividad de la naloxona en los centros de secundaria de ese país. Aunque se han producido intoxicaciones por opioides en escuelas, dijo, las secundarias suelen ser entornos de muy bajo riesgo.

En 2021, un estudiante de Mitchell High School en Colorado Springs, Colorado, sufrió una sobredosis en clase luego de inhalar una pastilla de fentanilo en un baño de la escuela.

Las estrategias más eficaces para combatir la epidemia de opioides son los centros de intercambio de agujas, los lugares de consumo supervisado de drogas y el tratamiento asistido con medicación que reduce el síndrome de abstinencia o atenúa el “viaje”, agregó Cipriano. Pero estos métodos pueden resultar caros en comparación con la distribución de naloxona.

“Cuando el estado crea un gran programa gratuito como éste, parece que está haciendo algo respecto a la epidemia de opioides”, señaló. “Es barato y parece que estás haciendo algo, y eso es oro en política”.

Las escuelas públicas de Denver, el mayor distrito escolar de Colorado, comenzaron a almacenar naloxona en 2022, indicó Jade Williamson, gerente del programa de escuelas saludables del distrito.

“Sabemos que algunos de los estudiantes están a la vanguardia de estos temas antes que las generaciones mayores”, afirmó Williamson. “Saber dónde encontrarlo, y acceder al medicamento cuando sea necesario a través de estos adultos que se han preparado, ya sea una enfermera de la escuela o un administrador, creo que les proporciona una cierta sensación de alivio”.

Los siete distritos más grandes del estado, con más de 25,000 estudiantes cada uno, participan en el programa estatal. En cambio, según un análisis de KFF Health News, sólo el 21% de los distritos con hasta 1,200 alumnos se han inscrito en el programa, a pesar que muchos de esos pequeños distritos se encuentran en zonas con tasas de mortalidad por sobredosis de drogas superiores al promedio estatal.

Algunos distritos escolares han encontrado una forma de obtener naloxona al margen del programa estatal. Esto incluye el Distrito Escolar 60 de Pueblo, donde la enfermera supervisora Foster administró naloxona a una estudiante el año pasado.

El distrito escolar de Pueblo obtiene la naloxona gratis de una organización local sin fines de lucro llamada Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association. Foster dijo que intentó inscribirse en el programa estatal, pero encontró dificultades. Así que decidió seguir con lo que ya funcionaba.

Jessica Foster, enfermera supervisora para el Distrito Escolar de Pueblo, en Colorado, posa en Central High School. El año pasado, Foster administró Narcan a una estudiante que se desmayó fuera de uno de los baños de la escuela.

El distrito escolar RE-1 del condado de Moffat, en Craig, Colorado, obtiene la naloxona de un centro local de tratamiento de adicciones, según Myranda Lyons, enfermera del distrito. Lyons contó que capacita al personal de la escuela sobre cómo administrarla cuando les enseña RCP (reanimación cardiopulmonar).

Christopher deKay, superintendente del Distrito Escolar Ignacio 11Jt, dijo que su personal de recursos escolares ya llevan naloxona, pero que el distrito también se inscribió en el programa estatal, para que las escuelas puedan almacenar el medicamento en la enfermería en caso de que el personal de recursos no se encuentre cerca.

“Es como todo, como capacitar en seguridad contra incendios. Nunca sabes lo que va a pasar en tu escuela”, señaló deKay. “Si ocurre lo impensable, queremos ser capaces de responder de la mejor manera posible”.

Esta historia se produjo con la colaboración de El Comercio de Colorado.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

More Colorado schools stock drug overdose reversal meds, but others worry about stigma

2023-10-03T22:40:41+00:00

Leer en español.

Last year, a student fell unconscious after walking out of a bathroom at Central High School in Pueblo, Colorado. When Jessica Foster, the school district’s lead nurse, heard the girl’s distraught friends mention drugs, she knew she had to act fast.

Emergency responders were just four minutes away. “But still four minutes — if they are completely not breathing — it’s four minutes too long,” Foster said.

Foster said she got a dose of naloxone, a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose, and gave it to the student. The girl revived.

Forty-five miles away in Colorado Springs, Mitchell High School officials didn’t have naloxone on hand when a 15-year-old student overdosed in class in December 2021 after snorting a fentanyl-laced pill in a school bathroom. That student died.

Colorado Springs’ school district has since joined Pueblo and dozens of other districts in the state in supplying middle and high schools with the lifesaving medication, often known by one of its brand names, Narcan. Since passage of a 2019 state law, Colorado has had a program that allows schools to obtain the medicine, typically in nasal spray form, free or at a reduced cost.

Not all schools are on board with the idea, though. Though more districts have signed on since last year, only about a third of Colorado districts had enrolled in the state’s giveaway program at the start of this school year. And within the dozen counties with the highest drug overdose death rates in the state, many school districts had not signed up in the face of ongoing stigma around the need for the overdose reversal medication.

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommends that schools, including elementary schools, keep naloxone on hand as fatal opioid overdoses rise, particularly from the potent drug fentanyl. And 33 states have laws that expressly allow schools or school employees to carry, store, or administer naloxone, according to Jon Woodruff, managing attorney at the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, which tracks naloxone policies across the country.

Among those, about nine states require at least some K-12 schools to store naloxone on site, including Illinois, whose requirement goes into effect in January. Some states, such as Maine, also require that public schools offer training to students in how to administer naloxone in nasal spray form.

Rhode Island requires all K-12 schools, both public and private, to stock naloxone. Joseph Wendelken, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Health, said that in the past four years, naloxone was administered nine times to people ages 10 to 18 in educational settings.

In early September, the medication also became available over the counter nationally, though the $45 price tag per two-dose package has some addiction specialists worried it will be out of reach for those who need it most.

But the medicine still isn’t as publicly widespread as automated external defibrillators or fire extinguishers. Kate King, president of the National Association of School Nurses, said reluctance to stock it in schools can stem from officials being afraid to provide a medical service or the ongoing cost of resupplying the naloxone and training people to use it. But the main hang-up she’s heard is that schools are afraid they’ll be stigmatized as a “bad school” that has a drug problem or as a school that condones bad choices.

“School districts are very careful regarding their image,” said Yunuen Cisneros, community outreach and inclusion manager at the Public Education & Business Coalition, which serves most of the state’s school districts. “Many of them don’t want to accept this program, because to accept it is to accept a drug addiction problem.”

That’s the wrong way to think about it, King said. “We really equate it to our stock albuterol for asthma attacks, our stock epinephrine for anaphylactic reactions,” she said.

Jessica Foster, Pueblo School District 60’s nurse supervisor, holds packets of Narcan and Kloxxado. Foster has pushed to get Narcan in all the district’s schools.

Colorado health officials could not say how often naloxone had been used on school grounds in the state. So far this year, at least 15 children ages 10 to 18 have died of fentanyl overdoses but not necessarily in schools. And in 2022, 34 children in that age group died, according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment. That included 13-year-old José Hernández, who died in August 2022 from a fentanyl overdose at home just days after starting eighth grade at Aurora Hills Middle School. His grandmother found his body over the bathroom sink in the early morning.

With the arrival of this new school year, supplies of naloxone are on hand for kids in more Colorado schools. Last year, state lawmakers appropriated $19.7 million in federal aid to the Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund, which is accessible to school districts, jails, first responders, and community service organizations, among others.

“It’s the most we’ve ever had,” said Andrés Guerrero, manager of the state health department’s overdose prevention program.

According to data provided by Colorado’s health department, 65 school districts were enrolled in the state program to receive naloxone at low or no cost at the start of the school year. Another 16 had reached out to the state for information but hadn’t finalized orders as of mid-August. The remaining 97 school districts either didn’t stock naloxone at their schools or sourced it from elsewhere.

Guerrero said the districts decide whom to train to administer the medicine. “In some cases, it’s just the school nurses. In some cases, it’s school nurses and the teachers,” he said. “And in some cases, we have the students as well.”

In Durango, the 2021 death of a high schooler galvanized students to push for the right to carry naloxone with them to school with parental permission — and to administer it if need be — without fear of punishment.

It took picketing outside a school board meeting to get permission, said Hays Stritikus, who graduated this spring from Durango High School. He’s now involved in drafting legislation that would expressly allow students across the state to carry and distribute Narcan on school grounds.

“The ultimate goal is a world where Narcan is not necessary,” he said. “But that’s just not where we live.”

Some health experts disagree that all schools should stock naloxone. Lauren Cipriano, a health economist at Western University in Canada, has studied the cost-effectiveness of naloxone in secondary schools there. While opioid poisonings have occurred on school grounds, she said, high schools tend to be really low-risk settings.

In 2021, a student at Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, overdosed in class after snorting a fentanyl-laced pill in a school bathroom.

More effective strategies for combating the opioid epidemic are needle exchange sites, supervised drug consumption sites, and medication-assisted treatment that reduces cravings or mutes highs, Cipriano said. But those approaches can be expensive compared with naloxone distribution.

“When the state makes a big, free program like this, it looks like they’re doing something about the opioid epidemic,” she said. “It’s cheap and it looks like you’re doing something, and that’s, like, political gold.”

Denver Public Schools, the largest school district in Colorado, started stocking naloxone in 2022, said Jade Williamson, manager of the district’s healthy schools program.

“We know some of the students are on the forefront of these things before older generations,” Williamson said. “To know where to find it, and to access it when needed through these adults who’ve trained, whether that’s a school nurse or a school administrator, I think it brings them some sense of relief.”

The state’s seven largest districts, with more than 25,000 students each, all participate in the state program. By contrast, a KFF Health News analysis found, only 21% of districts with up to 1,200 students have signed up for it — even though many of those small districts are in areas with drug overdose death rates higher than the state average.

Some school districts figured out a path to getting naloxone outside of the state program. That includes Pueblo School District 60, where lead nurse Foster gave naloxone to a student last year.

The Pueblo school district gets naloxone at no cost from a local nonprofit called the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association. Foster said she tried signing up for the state program but encountered difficulties. So she decided to stick with what was already working.

Jessica Foster, pictured at Pueblo’s Central High School, is the nurse supervisor for Pueblo School District 60. Last year, Foster administered Narcan to a student who had fallen unconscious in the hallway outside a school bathroom.

Moffat County School District RE-1 in Craig, Colorado, gets its naloxone from a local addiction treatment center, according to district nurse Myranda Lyons. She said she trains school staffers on how to administer it when she teaches them CPR.

Christopher deKay, superintendent of Ignacio School District 11Jt, said its school resource officers already carry naloxone, but that the district enrolled in the state program, too, so that schools could stock the medication in the nursing office in case a resource officer isn’t around.

“It’s like everything — like training for fire safety. You don’t know what’s going to happen in your school,” said deKay. “If the unthinkable happens, we want to be able to respond in the best way possible.”

This story was produced with reporting assistance from El Comercio de Colorado.

‘We can do better’: NYC schools chief acknowledges flawed communication in response to flooding

2023-10-03T19:42:51+00:00

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New York City botched its communication to schools in response to last week’s record rainfall, Chancellor David Banks acknowledged on Tuesday. He vowed to conduct a review of what went wrong.

Hours after the school day began last Friday, Mayor Eric Adams and Banks said during a press conference about the storm that schools should shelter in place, which typically means that no one is allowed to enter or exit campuses. The Education Department issued the same directive soon after on social media.

But that order was never directly communicated to school principals, Chalkbeat reported on Monday. The communication breakdown created confusion about which procedures campus leaders should have been following in the middle of an emergency.

Banks issued a mea culpa during a Tuesday press conference when asked about the lack of communication.

“This incident does suggest to us that we needed to have a clearer level of communication all the way through,” he said, adding that schools ultimately kept children safe during the storm. “We can do better, and I think we will certainly be working to do better next time.”

The chancellor also suggested that the Education Department never intended to issue a typical shelter-in-place order in the first place. “What we’re trying to say to everybody was: ‘Stay where you are. Don’t send kids out to the streets.’”

A shelter-in-place order was the “closest thing our policies have for taking refuge in buildings,” but that approach is “ill-fitting to last week’s circumstances,” Banks said in a written statement after the press conference.

Ten school administrators told Chalkbeat that they did not enforce the shelter-in-place order largely because they weren’t aware it existed. The first official communication about it came in a 1:56 p.m. email that day to school leaders notifying them that the order had been lifted.

With many parents rushing to schools to pick up their children before the school day was over, enforcing a systemwide shelter-in-place order would have created “a level of chaos” because parents would not have been allowed to do so, Banks told reporters.

The Education Department is conducting a review of what happened “to identify policies and protocols that must be updated to account for increasingly frequent events like Friday’s rain or the air quality emergency this summer,” according to Banks’ statement.

A department spokesperson did not respond to questions about the timeline for completing that review or whether it will be made public.

The chancellor’s comments represented a departure from the Education Department’s position just a day earlier.

On Monday evening, a department spokesperson did not acknowledge any errors in communication and pointed to the mayor’s Friday press conference and subsequent social media posts as sufficient notice to schools about the shelter-in-place order.

Adams has faced intense criticism for not directly addressing the public about the storm until after some neighborhoods had already flooded, though he has largely avoided any acknowledgement that the city’s response was inadequate. Adams also deflected blame for the unclear communication to schools, implying that he hadn’t used the words “shelter in place” on Friday — even though he was the first official to publicly use the phrase. He also said that “the chancellor made a determination of what should be done.”

One Queens assistant principal said they were glad the chancellor acknowledged the miscommunication.

“I appreciate [Banks] taking the responsibility,” said the assistant principal, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The school leader said the city should resist the urge to make blanket directives during similar emergencies in the future, as some campuses experienced significant flooding and others were largely untouched.

“There’s no citywide guidance and directive that they should have made other than: ‘Be safe and please be in touch with your borough offices,’” the administrator said.

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Eric Adams ordered NYC schools to shelter in place due to flooding. No one told principals.

2023-10-02T23:40:00+00:00

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As flood waters rose Friday in many parts of New York City, the message seemed clear cut.

“If you are at work or school, shelter in place for now,” said Mayor Eric Adams during a press conference about the storm just before noon that day. Schools Chancellor David Banks repeated that language later in the briefing, explaining “our protocol is in fact to shelter in place.” A social media post at 12:16 p.m. from the Education Department said the same.

Sheltering in place refers to a specific Education Department safety protocol that requires schools to shut their front doors, barring anyone from coming in or out. The procedure is meant to keep schools safe when there’s a danger outside the building.

At 1:56 p.m., a top Education Department official alerted principals that the “shelter in place has been lifted,” according to a copy of the email obtained by Chalkbeat.

There was just one problem: No one directly told schools about the order in the first place.

The email was the first Education Department communication that appeared in principals inboxes all day.

That was when Anna Nelson, an assistant principal at Bronx Latin, learned of the shelter-in-place directive.

But enforcing it would have been complicated. Many parents at her 6-12 school showed up early asking to pick up their children, fearing their commutes would be even harder later in the day due to the record rainfall. That would not have been allowed under a typical shelter-in-place order.

“Parents would have been really upset,” Nelson said. “It would have been wild.”

During previous shelter-in-place situations involving many schools, such as one for several Brooklyn schools after the subway shooting in Sunset Park last year, orders came from the NYPD and borough safety offices contacting schools.

But no such directives arrived Friday, 10 school administrators told Chalkbeat.

Flooding causes chaos in many schools

Many school leaders were dealing with immediate crises. They were helping kids dry off and scrounging up extra clothes for kids who were soaked through, while moving some children out of water-logged classrooms. They were ensuring floors weren’t dangerously slippery and figuring out if they had enough teachers to cover classes. They were communicating with concerned families about pickup and figuring out alternative exit plans for dismissal.

Many were unable to tune into the mayor’s press conference or monitor Education Department messages on X (formerly known as Twitter) during the middle of the school day — and may not even have known to watch for information through these channels.

As a result, none of the administrators who spoke with Chalkbeat actually implemented a shelter-in-place. Many were left on their own to figure out if and how to dismiss students early or let parents come and retrieve kids, with mixed messages swirling from higher-ups.

“It was very confusing honestly,” said one Brooklyn school administrator who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. “I was watching the press conference live and then I heard him say it, but I was like ‘I don’t think he really means we’re going to shelter in, because that’s crazy.’”

Education Department spokesperson Nathaniel Styer reiterated Monday that “guidance during inclement weather events is to take refuge in the school building.” When asked how the Education Department communicated that guidance, he pointed to the mayoral press conference and social media.

The idea of a blanket citywide shelter-in-place order seemed especially confusing to administrators because those directives are usually targeted at specific schools or neighborhoods, administrators said. While some schools with significant flooding outside may have benefited from such an order, it would have been a problem for other schools that needed to let students out early for safety reasons, they said.

Pointing to the need for a shelter in place, Styer said that some schools called parents and guardians to pick up children from school during Friday’s travel warnings, “which put even more members of our community in harm’s way.”

The end-of-day email to principals also suggested that schools should make sure students and staff are familiar with alternate evacuation routes, ensure children have a way to get home given disruptions to public transit, and keep a stock of supplies on hand including flashlights and blankets.

There was scarcely any time to do those things as the official guidance came less than an hour before dismissal, said Nelson, the Bronx administrator.

Though she said her school was largely spared from flooding and most of her students don’t commute long distances to the campus, she remained concerned about the lack of planning from the city.

“It is clear to me that we will have more flood issues like this in the future and the DOE doesn’t have any flood plans in place,” Nelson added.

Flooding near the Lafayette Educational Complex in Gravesend Brooklyn on Fri., Sept. 29, 2023 in New York.

At the Lafayette Educational Complex in Gravesend, Brooklyn, which is in a flood zone, students and staff had to wade through thigh-high waters to get to the schools housed there, said teacher Elizabeth Fortune. The building’s basement and cafeteria flooded, just as they did during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and she worried the building would face flooding in the future.

“We gave away all our school logo pjs to students and some were stuck in wet clothes or barefoot at school,” Fortune wrote in an email. “Once the waters began to recede, many older students wished to leave, but we were required to hold them until a parent could pick them up. Parents themselves were stranded without any ability to get to the school.”

Communication breakdown sows confusion

A total of 336 city public schools required cleanup over the weekend due to flooding, Styer said. On Friday, city officials said 150 schools were affected.

One school, P.S. 312 in Bergen Beach (originally reported by the Education Department as P.S. 132), had to be evacuated because of a smoking boiler. That school reopened Monday, and the “vast majority” of water issues across city schools were “minor, requiring only mopping,” he said.

To some educators, the botched communication over the shelter-in-place order felt emblematic of larger failures to give schools clear and timely guidance during a crisis. If top city officials misspoke about the shelter-in order, they should have clarified that immediately, said one Manhattan school administrator.

“The lack of communication is what creates people making up their own stories,” said the administrator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “If this isn’t the policy, and someone made a mistake, just own that and keep it pushing.”

Instead, school leaders were left largely on their own to figure out the protocol — and the confusion trickled down to teachers and parents.

Some schools let students out early. Anxious parents showed up to retrieve kids, and some students feared longer-than-normal commutes on public transit.

“A lot of our kids travel an hour each way on a good day,” said the Brooklyn administrator. “We don’t want kids traveling on buses they don’t normally take in the dark.”

Brooklyn dad Geoff Sanoff, who has two children in two different high schools, recounted the widely varied response from his children’s schools.

At Brooklyn Tech, where one son attends, the school emailed families about what they were doing, where families should go to meet their teens, and options for kids to stay in the building as they waited to get picked up. At the smaller Brooklyn high school his other son attends, there was “radio silence,” Sanoff said.

Brooklyn Tech is walkable to their Park Slope home, so the commute home for that son was doable. The other school, however, is accessible by the G train, which was not running. Sanoff’s son at that school, a freshman, wasn’t sure what to do, or where to wait to be picked up since he was not allowed to stay inside the building.

“With no subway, getting home from school turned into a three-hour round trip in a grandparent’s car to pick him up,” Sanoff said, adding that his son waited outside for more than an hour.

Sanoff understands that Brooklyn Tech — which is the nation’s largest high school with nearly 6,000 students — has kids from across the city and needs to be on top of coordinating its communications. His other son’s school, which may serve more kids who live locally, may not have realized that new students who travel further may have needed more help and may not have known who to ask for help, he said.

“It kind of baffles me that nobody said anything to him,” Sanoff said. “I am not angry with them, just frustrated at this situation. At the end of the day, the real question to me is, ‘How is it that each school has been left to fend for itself in a situation like this? Has there been no guidance from on high?’ No thought for school buses to be set aside, nothing from the DOE to help parents and schools know where to go, what to do, or who to reach out to for help.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Is Chicago’s shift to restorative justice and fewer school police working? Some say yes.

2023-09-28T11:00:00+00:00

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Youth organizer Maria Paula Degillo used to protest in downtown Chicago against the high rates of suspensions and expulsions for students of color.

Now, she collaborates with Chicago Public Schools to create safe school environments without harsh discipline and over policing.

Today, Degillo, with the group Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, is joining the district’s Chief of Safety and Security Jadine Chou at a City Club of Chicago event to highlight the partnership forged between the district and community organizations over the course of the last decade to improve school safety.

The event comes as Chicago says it has made significant progress disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. Suspensions have plummeted from nearly 50,000 in 2013-14 to less than 10,000 in 2021-22. And the number of police officers on campus has been more than cut in half.

What’s more, new research released by the University of Chicago Education Lab earlier this month found student arrests dropped at schools where restorative practices were implemented and students said they felt a stronger sense of safety and belonging.

Degillo, Chou, and others who have been working on this issue for more than a decade say Chicago’s approach to school safety could be a blueprint for other schools across the country.

“When we talk about safety in schools,” Degillo said, “it’s about young people and their parents being able to be at the decision making table so that they can decide what they feel makes them safe.”

Chicago makes slow shift to restorative discipline

Chicago’s work to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline started years before national debates around school safety and the presence of police in schools heated up in 2020.

When Chou took the job as safety and security chief 12 years ago, she said she was the first person not from the police department to fill the role.

“It was not easy at first,” she said. “I think a lot of people were stuck in that same paradigm that, you know, if we go to restorative practices, bad things will happen.”

Early in her tenure, the school board approved several changes to the student code of conduct that activists, such as Degillo, pushed: limiting the use of automatic suspensions and redefining what behaviors deserved out-of-school punishment. And the state of Illinois passed legislation, at the urging of groups like VOYCE, to limit the use of suspensions and expulsions in public schools.

During the 2013-14 school year, 22 Chicago high schools and 34 elementary schools began implementing restorative practices focused on building relationships and conflict resolution.

Researchers at the University of Chicago Education Lab studied what happened in the years that followed. In a report issued earlier this month, they found that suspensions declined at schools that implemented restorative justice, student arrests in-school fell by 35%, and out-of-school arrests dropped by 15%.

Anjali Adukia, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and one of the report’s authors, said changing how schools approach student discipline doesn’t happen overnight.

She recalled talking to a teacher who saw restorative practices as “fluffy duffy stuff” that was going to take up too much time. But after trying some of the strategies, the approach made their job easier. That teacher is now a restorative practices coach, Adukia said.

Chou, with CPS, said the research confirmed what she felt she already knew: This was actually working. It also “refutes the myth” that restorative practices lead to “no consequences” and everything being “out of control.”

“The research actually shows that you do good both by keeping children in the classroom through these restorative practices,” Chou said. “And in fact, the climate is calmer.”

Removing police from schools is just one piece of the puzzle

In addition to its work to reduce suspensions and expulsions, Degillo’s organization Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, or VOYCE, was on the forefront of the movement to remove police officers from schools.

This was before a 2019 federal consent decree over the city’s police department pushed the district to rethink the role of police in schools and before the racial unrest in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd.

Around that time, the district began to collaborate with community organizations, including VOYCE, on an effort known as Whole School Safety. The approach also gave local school councils the ability to vote on whether or not to keep school-based police officers, commonly referred to as SROs.

An initial wave of schools removed police in 2020, but the momentum has slowed more recently, with just two schools voting to remove officers last school year.

In June, the school board approved a $10.3 million contract with the police department to station 57 officers at roughly 40 high schools that have voted to keep them. It’s a fraction of the 140 stationed at district-run high schools in 2019, which cost roughly $33 million that year.

Chicago initially faced some criticism for pushing the decision about whether to keep police in schools down to local communities. But the ground-up approach may prove to be more sustainable, Chou said, noting other districts who removed police in 2020 only to return them more recently.

That was the case in Denver, where the school board voted in 2020 to phase out police from schools only to reverse that decision in a divided vote this past June after a shooting in March at one of the district’s high schools.

Although Degillo said VOYCE would still like to see police removed from schools altogether, she said allowing communities to decide is just as important.

“The goal is to create a process in which people are not relying on knee-jerk reactions to safety, “ Degillo said. “There’s so much more to school safety. The goal is to create that safe, healthy, equitable learning environment.”

Becky Vevea is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Chicago. Contact Becky at bvevea@chalkbeat.org.

Roxborough High remembers Nicolas Elizalde, killed one year ago

2023-09-27T21:47:01+00:00

On a strip of ragged grass adjoining the front steps of Roxborough High School, students planted crocuses.

The bulbs, assistant principal Julian Saavedra explained to them, are perennials, meaning they die out but come back every year, bursting out in vibrant colors on patches of ground still waking up from the cold of winter.

The planting happened Wednesday, on the first anniversary of one of the most devastating events in the history of Roxborough High: a brutal shooting mere steps from the school that took the life of 14-year-old Nicolas Elizalde as he walked home from a football scrimmage at the field nearby.

Nicolas was actually a student at nearby Saul High School of Agricultural Science, which shares a football team with Roxborough.

To cope and remember, the 600-student school observed a Day of Peace on the anniversary, seeking to bring additional support to a community that is still traumatized. To start the day, students held a moment of silence. Over the past year, they helped paint a mural on the wall of the school closest to where the shooting occurred. The mural depicts, among other symbols, a football helmet filled with flowers and a large rendering of Nicolas’ jersey number, 62.

“We’re getting through it as a team,” said assistant football coach Marc Skinner. “We stand by each other, we talk to each other. … We put our focus on the field and the game and making sure we do the right thing, and not be a part of any situation that would have us in this type of tragedy again.”

Since the incident, Roxborough has partnered with organizations including Healing Hurt People to work with students and others affected. Police in the 14th District have stepped up patrols. The school has more security guards and many programs addressing students’ emotional needs.

But the pain is still raw.

“We continue to support our children with trauma-informed best practices. We share resources with our teachers, and all of our staff,” said Principal Kristin Williams-Smalley. “And we all have a schoolwide social emotional learning program that we have implemented. … It’s an ongoing issue that our children are dealing with.”

Roxborough High principal Kristin Williams-Smalley speaks to reporters

She said that Roxborough lost another student to gun violence in May.

During the last school year, 199 city students were shot, and 33 of those died, district officials said. Less than three weeks into this school year, five students have been shot, and one died. Philadelphia’s efforts to restrict gun ownership have been blocked by the courts and a state law that bars municipalities from enacting their own gun control measures.

Shortly before the shooting, Mayor Jim Kenney had signed a law that restricted gun possession at public spaces in the city, including parks, recreation centers, and pools, but it was overturned in a court challenge.

When Nicolas was killed, four other teens were wounded by the bullets flying out of an SUV that had been lying in wait near Roxborough High.

Police don’t believe Nicolas was the intended target. One of the shooters jumped out of the car and chased another, older boy down the street, firing at close range before his gun jammed.

Police have arrested four suspects in the killing and are still seeking a fifth person they believe was the main shooter.

This week, Nicolas’ mother, Meredith Elizalde, called on state lawmakers to enact gun reform. Nicolas was her only child, and he died in her arms.

“I want them to get on the front lines and fight for gun sense, because if you’re not, you’re just part of the problem,” Meredith Elizalde said.

Asked about the chances of gun reform, Williams-Smalley sounded weary.

“I’m tired to go to funerals. I’m tired of visiting my colleagues at their schools when something happens to be a support for them. We are all, my colleagues across the city, we are all tired of the violence that is pervasive.”

As the students dispersed after planting the crocuses, Saavedra called after them.

“We’ll water them later on,” he said.

A mural on one wall of Roxborough High in memory of Nicolas Elizalde features Nicolas’ football jersey number, 62.

Dale Mezzacappa is a senior writer for Chalkbeat Philadelphia, where she covers K-12 schools and early childhood education in Philadelphia. Contact Dale at dmezzacappa@chalkbeat.org.

Althea Greene remains Memphis-Shelby County Schools board chair for second year

2023-09-27T02:41:06+00:00

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Althea Greene will remain chair of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board for a second year as the district continues its search for a permanent superintendent, despite criticism of how she handled the initial search.

Greene received seven votes from the nine-member board. Board member Frank Johnson, who is recovering from a stroke, was not at Tuesday’s meeting. Newly appointed member Mauricio Calvo voted “present.”

“I pray that my colleagues, that we will lead together,” Greene said Tuesday. “We will march together. We will disagree, but disagree together.”

Greene was first appointed to the board in 2019 and ran unopposed in 2020. She has been part of the leadership for most of her time on the board, serving two terms as vice chair alongside Michelle McKissack in 2021-22 and Miska Clay Bibbs the previous year. Her District 2 seat will be up for election next fall.

Joyce Dorse-Coleman, who is halfway through her second term as a board member, will remain the vice chair for another year.

“The work that I’ve done speaks for itself,” Dorse-Coleman said before the final vote. “That’s what I’m going to say. I’ve been dedicated.”

The vice chair election divided the board, which has strived to present a united front while it seeks a new district leader and develops a plan for its aging school buildings. Dorse-Coleman prevailed over the other nominee, Amber Huett-Garcia, after three rounds of voting. McKissack ultimately switched her vote to provide Dorse-Coleman the needed majority.

Greene’s reelection as chair signals that most board members still trust her leadership, despite some wavering last spring and calls for a change.

The board elected Greene “to finish a job that I know that she’s very focused on and seeing to completion,” McKissack said.

Explaining his “present” vote to Chalkbeat, Calvo said, “I read the news, and I know that the community and the public wants a different direction for the board.”

“We don’t have a great reputation,” he later added.

Greene oversaw the start of the district’s superintendent search in late 2022, along with search firm Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates. But after Hazard Young presented three finalists for the role at a meeting in April, Greene abruptly paused the search amid rancor over the selection process. Several top candidates withdrew their names from consideration.

Dorse-Coleman and another board member, Stephanie Love, took over for Greene as the search coordinators, and the board ended up rebooting the search in June, with a looser set of job requirements. Interim Superintendent Toni Williams, initially chosen as a finalist to take the post on a permanent basis, agreed not to pursue the post anymore.

New cleaning plan approved, but timing of transition is unclear

MSCS board members unanimously voted to move forward with a new custodial services plan, which will distribute the work among four cleaning vendors, and revamp the way those vendors are evaluated to include more regular input from school staff.

But the timing of the transition to the new plan, most recently set for December, is up in the air.

Board member Kevin Woods suggested a delay due to the disruption of business to the sole current vendor, Service Master Clean, which would share the work under the new plan. Three company leaders and an employee addressed the board in public comments Tuesday.

District officials will review their procurement procedures and consult with the vendors to see whether that’s appropriate, but it means the transition could be as late as July 1, 2024.

Laura Testino covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Laura at LTestino@chalkbeat.org.

New MSCS custodial contracts would give school staff more input

2023-09-21T22:20:22+00:00

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Memphis-Shelby County Schools is poised to switch to new custodial-service contracts that would give school staff greater say in the cleanliness of their buildings and change the way vendors are evaluated.

Under the proposal, which the school board will consider next week, the district would contract with four cleaning companies: Fresh Start Facility Services Inc., HES Facilities Maintenance, ParCou, and ServiceMaster Clean. Each vendor would be assigned a zone, or a set of schools to clean, and the transition would begin in December.

At a $31.6 million annual cost, custodial service represents one of the district’s largest contracts, and is often contentious among board members because of persistent concerns about school cleanliness and worker wages.

The new proposal marks a reversal of the district’s controversial decision in June 2022 to consolidate custodial services for all of its buildings under a four-year contract with a single provider, ServiceMaster Clean. The district signaled this year that it may terminate that contract early, and the board directed the district to solicit new bids in June.

At the time, interim Superintendent Toni Williams said the district had withheld several million dollars of payments to ServiceMaster for not completing deep-cleaning to pandemic-level standards.

Since then, district officials have reevaluated their rubric for scoring school cleanliness, Williams told the board at a meeting Tuesday. The district also investigated and resolved unnamed “potential conflicts of interest” with the process.

“No matter what direction we go, we know that that performance evaluation process is flawed, and we need to improve it,” Williams said.

Under the current system, cleaning vendors are assessed by a district employee who visits a school once a month for a review. That process isn’t comprehensive enough, Williams said. It becomes “subjective and inconsistent,” she said, and doesn’t reflect the experiences of school-based staff.

Williams said the district has suggested that the new process incorporate feedback from principals and teachers who work in the schools, and that the vendors be scored on a compilation of daily reviews.

Contract violations could come with stricter consequences than the $25 fines ServiceMaster faced last year, Williams said. The district will now have methods for ensuring that each vendor can appropriately staff its assigned school sites.

The vendors would still be required to pay custodians at least $15 an hour.

The district set the new wage floor last summer when awarding the contract to ServiceMaster, arguing that increased wages would solve staffing issues that led to dirty school buildings.

ServiceMaster has been a custodial contractor for the district in several of the years since cleaning services were outsourced following the merger between Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools a decade ago. Before last year’s contract, it shared the duties with SKB Facilities & Maintenance, and, before that, with Aramark.

SKB was among five vendors evaluated for the current bidding process and earned the lowest score. Three other applicants were not evaluated because of compliance issues with the bid specifications.

Williams said MSCS has staff to manage the transition to the new vendors and enough funds to ensure that custodial employees can make the switch without losing pay.

MSCS board members are expected to vote on the proposal at the next board meeting scheduled for Sept. 26 at 5:30 p.m.

Laura Testino covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Laura at LTestino@chalkbeat.org.

Instagram accounts shut down after NYC principal threatens to suspend student followers

2023-09-20T00:40:41+00:00

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After a Queens principal threatened to suspend students who followed Instagram accounts with anonymous posts about their classmates — igniting a fierce debate about how to respond to students’ online behavior — the social media pages were removed.

One student was behind the two Instagram accounts, Francis Lewis High School Principal David Marmor said Tuesday afternoon during a meeting of the School Leadership Team.

He said the school was in the process of suspending the student. Marmor and an education department spokesperson declined to say if any of the Instagram account followers faced disciplinary action.

“Over the past few days the entire school community came together to condemn the online bullying and hate found on the two previously highlighted Instagram accounts,” Marmor wrote in a letter posted on the school’s website on Monday. “I am very proud to announce that the account owners have been identified, and BOTH ACCOUNTS ARE GONE!”

A range of “celebratory extracurricular activities” that had been canceled in response to the Instagram accounts — including a senior trip, prom, and an upcoming pep rally — would be allowed to resume, the principal wrote.

Francis Lewis High School is not alone in struggling to manage students’ online behavior, including social media accounts that allow kids to publicly post messages without identifying themselves.

But Marmor’s threat last week to suspend any student who followed two specific Instagram accounts — and withhold recommendation letters for college or work — represented a striking crackdown against students regardless of whether they had posted any harmful or bullying content. The move prompted criticism from civil rights groups and legal experts who said such discipline would violate students’ constitutional right to free speech.

The city’s Education Department stood by the policy, however, signaling to other school leaders that aggressive measures to curb students’ online posts may be tolerated on other campuses. The threat of harsh discipline also won backing from some members of the school community, including Shirley Aubin, president of the school’s parent association, who said the school has long wrestled with social media accounts that serve as platforms for bullying.

“This is not the first time that this situation arose, and I expect more to come, but the way he handled it met our expectations,” she said.

Principal dangles future discipline threats for other Instagram accounts

In his letter last week to the school’s more than 4,000 students, Marmor explicitly named two Instagram accounts that he characterized as “horrifying” and including “graphic and direct threats to specific children with bullying comments.”

One of them included videos of student fights that took place on and off campus, according to school officials and students who viewed them. That account was shut down by Instagram after students complained, according to an Education Department spokesperson.

The second account circulated anonymous posts that included gossip, criticism of the school’s bell schedule, and students revealing their crushes.

But it also amplified more troubling material. Some posts repeatedly bullied specific students. Others included racist language. One identified a student who allegedly had a sexually transmitted infection. A small number of posts targeted Marmor in vulgar or offensive ways.

Francis Lewis High School Principal David Marmor updated the School Leadership Team about the school’s response to the Instagram accounts on Tuesday.

The student responsible for the account voluntarily shut it down after getting caught, a department spokesperson said. The two accounts each had over 1,000 followers, school officials said.

Marmor indicated that several similar social media accounts were still active, but had far fewer followers. He warned that if they gained traction, he might once again cancel student activities — and he said the school might still discipline students who followed them.

Preston Green, a professor of educational leadership and law at the University of Connecticut, said schools can punish students for speech that disrupts the school’s learning environment or for conduct that occurs on school grounds. But he said suspending kids for following certain Instagram accounts would likely violate their First Amendment rights.

“Mere ‘following’ can’t be sufficient,” he said. “That’s going too far.”

Letter prompts swift action from students

As students streamed out of the campus on Tuesday afternoon, several said they thought the principal had overreacted. Although they acknowledged some of the Instagram posts may have been hurtful or offensive to some of their peers, they said the accounts didn’t seem to be causing major disruptions to the community.

“I don’t think anyone was talking about it that much,” said one sophomore. “Since he sent those emails to everyone, it became more of a well-known thing.” (Chalkbeat is withholding student names because of the threat of discipline.)

The sophomore acknowledged that the principal’s threat was effective. But “just because a problem was fixed doesn’t mean it was a good fix.” Punishing students who had nothing to do with the more hurtful posts by canceling student activities seemed unfair, he said.

Another student said she’d followed the two Instagram accounts and noted that the vast majority of posts weren’t geared toward bullying or naming specific students.

“They were just posting like weird content … weird fantasy stuff,” she said. “I just don’t feel like it was that serious.”

But after Marmor’s letter last week, she said she swiftly unfollowed them.

Another 10th grader also said he unfollowed the accounts after Marmor’s letter last week, partly at the urging of his mother who worried about him losing a recommendation letter for college.

This student thought that his peers should have the right to follow Instagram accounts without fear of reprisal, but the risk didn’t seem worth it. “I don’t really know too much about laws and what [the principal] can do legally,” he said.

A smaller number of students said they were glad the principal responded to the accounts. One said a lot of her peers were angry about canceling student activities. But if students are being bullied online or embarrassed by the posts “then I feel like he has to take some kind of action.” A stricter response, she said, is preferable to no response.

During the School Leadership Team meeting on Tuesday, Marmor acknowledged that most of the posts on the anonymous Instagram page did not name specific students or constitute bullying. But he emphasized that even a small number of posts can have an outsized effect, especially for the students who are targets.

“If you go to the random page and start pursuing it might take a little while to find them,” he said. “But if it’s about you, you know where it is.”

He noted that some of the accounts focus more directly on him — “I’ve got memes of me all over the internet doing horrifying things” — but he insisted that that wasn’t a motivation for the harsh response.

“I don’t care what anybody thinks about what I’m doing,” he said. “In the end, the only thing I care about is the safety and security of the kids in the building.”

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.