Re-envision School Safety and Support New Jersey Students

Act Now

As students return to school, safety is at the top of every parent's mind. The massacre at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and law enforcement's blatantly insufficient response raises a pressing question: how can we ensure our students are attending schools that are safe, supportive, and allow them to thrive?

Here in New Jersey, we have the opportunity to approach student safety from an evidence-based perspective, and New Jerseyans must seize it. Each year, every New Jersey school district receives funding called "categorical school security aid," but no guidelines exist for how those funds should be spent or tracked.

We need the Legislature to make sure this funding goes toward the measures that truly help students, not criminalize them. Tell legislators and Governor Murphy: real school security comes from a supportive learning environment – not cops.

Message Recipients:
Governor Phil Murphy
Your State Assemblymembers
Your State Senator

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Subject

Every New Jersey student deserves to show up to school every day feeling safe and being supported – not surveilled and criminalized in the classroom.

I urge the Legislature and Governor Phil Murphy to re-envision school safety by ensuring that funding for "school security" truly helps students. Providing significant funding and guidance to support school districts in hiring trained mental health professionals will do just that.

Message Body

There's no evidence indicating that police in schools improves students' safety, educational outcomes, health, or well-being. But there's plenty of evidence to suggest that it does the opposite, particularly for students of color and students with disabilities.

New Jersey must spend school security dollars on proven ways to make our students' learning environments safe and secure. I urge you to use your power to create more transparency around districts' use of categorical security aid and provide more funding to increase access to supports that truly help students.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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Re-envision School Safety and Support New Jersey Students

Act Now

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