Reactions mixed after Edmonton Public Schools votes to reinstate school resource officers
A group that represents students across the province says it opposes the Edmonton Public School's decision to bring back the school resource officer (SRO) program.
The board voted 5-3 in favour of resuming the program on Tuesday afternoon.
The program had been in public schools until the board made the decision to suspend it in September 2020 because of concerns about the impact on racialized and marginalized students.
Thirty-two people spoke at the meeting on Tuesday before the decision.
"The decision yesterday is deeply disappointing, because there has been multiple years of information being gathered about the harms of having school resource officers inside public schools," Wing Li of Support our Students Alberta (SOS) told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday.
"Many students who we have also spoken with find police in schools to be a perpetration of harm to them."
She's concerned bringing back SROs won't actually address the problems causing safety issues in classrooms.
"Parents that aren't in school think that it's a good solution," she said.
"It only serves for the perception of safety and not actually solving the root problems."
Li says she was concerned about the lack of alternatives discussed at Tuesday's meeting.
"We know that there have been provincial cuts to funding, so schools have lost counsellors, they have lost wraparound support workers who are not police."
"These adjacent personnel could be added back to schools with the money that they're allotting to the SRO program."
Dan Jones is the chair of Justice Studies at Norquest College and a former police inspector with the Edmonton Police Service who oversaw the SRO program for four years.
He says many SROs go above and beyond in their work with students.
"People don't realize there's a lot of times the SROs are working in schools and not wearing a uniform, they're not carrying their gun, they're wearing tracksuits. They're coaching sports," he commented on Wednesday.
He suggested most students who had experienced the SRO program felt the experience was worthwhile.
"The vast majority of students and parents that had the school resource officers involved actually liked it. And that was across the board, whether it was BIPOC communities, the LGBTQ community, it was all communities like having the SROs."
He says the program is all about building relationships, and that can make students safer.
"Sometimes the SROs have relationships that they will get that information. Someone will be like, 'Something that is going to happen.' So you have an intelligence piece that sometimes prevents things from happening."
He also says those relationships can stop kids from ending up in jail.
"The police officers get to see the whole story of these youths. You get to know them, you get to have a relationship with them, you're not just dealing with them in that crisis moment."
"Because you have that relationship, you want to work with them to help them through something rather than punish them."
The details of how the SRO program will look when it resumes are still unclear, but the board voted Tuesday to give the superintendent authority over it.
Edmonton Catholic Schools has maintained its SRO program.
There are currently 13 SROs working in local Catholic schools.
With files from CTV news Edmonton's Nav Sangha
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Fort McMurray evacuees welcomed home Saturday as crews make progress on wildfire
Residents of Fort of McMurray who were displaced over wildfire concerns were told to return home Saturday.
Scottie Scheffler, from the course to jail and back: What to know about his PGA Championship arrest
Two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested after police say he dragged an officer while trying to get around the scene of a fatal accident Friday ahead of the second round of the PGA Championship.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.
Hot weather poses new risk as thousands remain without power after deadly Houston storm
As the Houston area works to clean up and restore power to hundreds of thousands after deadly storms left at least seven people dead, it will do so amid a smog warning and scorching temperatures that could pose health risks.