WTTW Chicago Tonight | As Local School Councils Vote on Keeping Police in Schools, Some Advocates Push for Alternative Models

“Safety doesn’t always mean police officers,” said Meyiya Coleman, an organizer with Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, which has worked to help develop school safety plans that don’t involve police. “I think safety for young people should mean getting the resources they need inside of their schools to excel, to succeed, and also inside of their communities … like mental health and behavioral health resources.”

VOYCE is among the community groups that’s helped develop alternative safety and restorative justice models, including at Curie High School. Coleman says these models better respond to the needs of students who may be dealing with PTSD, anxiety and depression, issues she thinks can be exacerbated by a school environment.

“When they say, ‘I don’t feel safe with a police officer in our school, I feel more safe with a counselor in my school,’ why aren’t we listening to our students?” Coleman said.

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