The petition ( https://lnkd.in/e7Jb7B6P ) is fine – calling for steps to ensure this violence never takes place again to the visible minorities due to race, religion, gender, or any other distinctions that might indicate vulnerability.
Board officials contacting the Ottawa police is fine, as is the offer to cooperate with the investigations. However, we need to remember that community safety is a shared responsibility. It doesn’t begin after the fact. Cooperation with investigations is the last thing – not the first among many pro-active steps and actions that the community and school boards get involved in a partnership with the police. Pro-active engagement with the police – not antagonism and an us-and-them mindset – is the answer to preventing such brutal actions in the future. Schools must work with local police to create safe environments for students and staff. This can involve implementing safety protocols, such as active shooter drills, providing training for teachers and staff, and establishing a clear line of communication between the school and local law enforcement. Additionally, schools can partner with police to address issues such as bullying, drug use, and truancy.
Removing School resource officers (SROs) was not a good idea. SSROs were assigned to work in schools. They served as a link between the police and the school community, and their role included promoting safety, preventing crime, and building positive relationships with students. Having an SRO in a school provided a sense of security and stability, as well as helped to quickly address any safety concerns in the past. Agree that their presence raised concerns about the criminalization of student behavior and the impact on students’ civil rights but those issues could have been addressed differently rather than ditching the relationship with OPS that sustained SROs in schools. https://lnkd.in/e4xZdcPd
