Take Action: The Cost of School Policing

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Florida has seen an increase in arrests at schools since the 2018 Legislature passed a measure requiring every public school to have an officer or security personnel onsite. A new study, “The Cost of School Policing,” reveals that this school policing mandate has only increased negative outcomes for students.

For the first time, there are more police officers working in Florida schools than school nurses. During the 2018-19 school year, the number of youth arrests at school increased by 8 percent, while the number of youths arrested everywhere else in the community declined by 12 percent.

Heightened police presence in schools did not decrease the number of behavioral incidents in schools; it only increased the number of less severe incidents being referred to law enforcement.

The negative consequences of school policing have fallen most heavily on Black and brown students and those with disabilities. Kids belong in school, not in the criminal justice system, but this mandate has forced many of our youth into the school-to-prison pipeline.

Our lawmakers must repeal the mandate and return discretion to local communities over whether and how police should be involved in schools. Our students deserve better.

Use the form below to send your email and tell your legislator to repeal the school policing mandate in Florida today.

Message Recipient: Florida State Senators and Representatives

Take Action: Repeal School Policing Mandate

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Subject

In the last two years, Florida has made national headlines for arresting little kids at school. A six year old, whose wrists were too small for handcuffs, was zip-tied by an officer. An eight-year-old was charged with felony battery.

These are the cases that made the headlines, but thousands more went by unnoticed. According to a new study, police officers arrested elementary-aged kids 345 times, including an arrest of a five-year-old and five arrests of six-year-olds, during the 2018-19 school year. Below are more alarming findings:

- During the 2018-19 school year, the number of youth arrests at school increased by 8 percent, while the number of youths arrested everywhere else in the community declined by 12 percent.
- Black students were four and a half times as likely to be arrested at school for disorderly conduct than their white classmates.
- The use of the Baker Act, which allows people to be involuntarily held for 72 hours and subjected to a mental health evaluation, on kids has doubled in the past 15 years.
- The number of police officers in schools are more than double the number of school social workers (1,414) and school psychologists (1,452).
- The number of students expelled from school increased by 43 percent.

This is unacceptable. It has become clear that most officers are not equipped to deal with the behavioral issues that arise in schools. What was once considered childish behavior has now too often been turned into police business, leading to students being arrested and traumatized unnecessarily.

I’m asking you to repeal the school policing mandate and account for the consequences of adding tasers, handcuffs and guns to schools that already struggle to provide enough textbooks and now, hand sanitizer.

Message Body

The cost of this mandate has become too high for our schools and students to bear.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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Take Action: The Cost of School Policing

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