What’s Next for School Police?

In the early months of the pandemic, many districts were rethinking their policies and practices around campus safety. Now, with buildings reopened and some educators reporting a rise in bad behavior, the conversation is once again shifting to how to best keep children safe, and what role – if any – school police should have on campus.

Corey Mitchell of the Center for Public Integrity shares insights from covering racial, gender, and economic inequality in education. How did the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis change the conversation around school resource officers, especially in regards to how Black students are treated? Why have some districts and states reversed course on pledges to scale back the police presence in school? What does research show about the impact of having armed police on campuses? Plus, Mitchell offers tips for education reporters looking to add more student voices to their reporting on campus safety, as well as story ideas for digging deeper into school police.