Chalk Beat Chicago | “Final tally: Majority of Chicago high schools will reduce police presence on campus this year”

After months of deliberation, the majority of Chicago high schools with campus officers have voted to reduce the size of their in-school police forces this year or remove them entirely.

So far, of the 53 schools that currently have officers, 31 schools have moved to reduce their in-school police force. Two votes are still pending, and another 17 schools had already decided to remove officers last year.

Among the 31 campuses deciding to reduce their in-school police force, seven have voted to fully remove officers, including Jones College Prep and Lake View High School. The remaining 24 — including Marshall High School and Hyde Park High School — have voted to retain one of two officers this coming year and use the savings from the force reduction for programs such as social workers and private security.

Chicago high schools had until last week to vote on safety plans for the school year, the second such vote in 12 months. This time, the conversations were more nuanced and informed by more comprehensive data showing students of color are more harshly disciplined and overpoliced than their white peers.

Local School Councils — volunteer groups comprised of parents, teachers, and community representatives that govern individual schools — made safety decisions at most schools based on community meetings with administration, staff, and parents. Schools without LSCs voted on SROs after convening community meetings with parents and school leaders.

“We are making progress,” said Jasmine Roach, a student leader with Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, in a Tuesday statement. “While it’s been a long time coming, I am glad to see that the voices of students are taken seriously.”

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