With the call for defunding police departments across the country, there will be questions this fall as to the need for having a police presence in schools.
Shared concerns of parents and school officials over the health and safety of students returning in a reconfigured environment hang in many conversations. Having a police presence in each school building should not be one of those concerns.
It is the responsibility of school administrators to provide an environment that is both physically and emotionally safe for students. Consistent administrative presence in schools builds positive relationships and serves as a preventive measure for negative behavior.
Police presence in the building sends the wrong message about expected standards for behavior and may be detrimental to establishing trust with students. An appropriate school environment is supportive and cooperative, not adversarial.
Integrating law enforcement into a supportive environment is counterproductive. A positive school climate is standards-based, with expectations for behavior. Police training, by its nature, is rules-based and confrontational; characterized by obedience to authority, not with building positive relationships. Discipline issues are minimal when there is mutual respect within the building. An effective school environment emphasizes shaping, not controlling behavior. Authoritarian approaches lead to resentment, resulting in less control of the environment.
Teachers and administrators get what they expect. High expectations elevate behavior and academic achievement. Continuous interactions between adults and students transition from supervisory to creating relationships that shape positive behavior.
Law enforcement in most settings is more reactive than preventive. How often do the police prevent a robbery or rape? Almost never. They are usually investigating a concern after its occurrence, and their reactions are adversarial and punitive. Police presence does little to prevent crime. Law enforcement personnel with daily assignments to schools are labeled as school resource officers, or SROs.
Even in an emergency situation, such as a school shooting, variance in character, ability and training will affect the quality of a response. The odds that an SRO would prevent or mitigate a shooting are extremely long. Response is reactive. Schools should focus on prevention of violence and inappropriate behavior.
Training in law enforcement is largely confrontational, and many SROs possess temperaments not suited for working with children. Administrative control over these individuals differs because of unclear boundaries of authority and poorly defined contractual responsibilities. There is little evidence supporting the efficacy of SROs, and when they are deployed, the school culture is in disarray.
It requires great effort to establish an outstanding educational environment. Forming positive mutual relationships with students is the key. Monitors, supervisors and security officials are not apt substitutes for the diligent presence of administrators.
The job description for an effective school building administrator is challenging. They are at entrances and exits at the beginning and end of each school day, in the hallways every passing period between classes to support teachers that should be outside their classroom doors and on playgrounds during each recess. They check bathrooms after each passing period and periodically during class time. They ensure that hallways are empty when each class period begins. They enjoy the entire lunch period with students in the cafeteria. They attend all extracurricular events and periodically appear at practices and rehearsals.
Despite overwhelming documentation requirements and frivolous district expectations, building administrators should make no excuses. They are always there for students. Administrative presence creates a safe, cordial and productive learning environment.
There is questionable evidence of the value of SROs in creating a safer school environment, and their presence implies an unproductive climate. Eliminating this expenditure would allocate more resources for instructional support.
A collaborative relationship between schools and local law enforcement officials is needed regardless of the employment of SROs. Sometimes law enforcement assistance is needed, as there are times when students need to be removed from the environment, sometimes permanently.
But consistent presence of administrators makes the role of SROs unnecessary and greatly reduces disciplinary issues.
Greg Wieman is retired after a 38-year career in public education in which his roles included teacher, coach, principal and superintendent. He holds a doctoral degree in education from Eastern Michigan University. He can be reached at [email protected].