California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond outlined Wednesday the state’s plans to analyze data on policing in schools.
Thurmond said state education officials will review a swath of research and data on how the presence of police officers on campus affects public school students. Thurmond acknowledged that studies have already shown that having police on campus leads to more suspensions and arrests of students, and black students in particular.
Thurmond also announced that he established a task force of legislators, researchers, advocacy groups and law enforcement representatives that will focus on the effect of police officers on school campuses.
“We recognize this is a complicated issue,” Thurmond said. “There should never be a time when anyone is in a position to criminalize our kids.”
He added, “At the same time, we recognize, and the research supports this, that we still have to figure out ways to address issues like police shootings, guns on campus, bomb threats on campus.”
Some school districts around the state, including the Oakland Unified School District, have considered removing law enforcement officers from campuses entirely as the nation reckons with the state of local policing.
Thurmond said he plans to watch the OUSD Board of Education’s vote later Wednesday closely and noted that the issue is more complicated than simply removing police from school campuses to maintain student safety.
“They have the task, as I see it, to do a great thing to say that they don’t want the criminalization of students,” Thurmond said. “They also have to think through, if there’s not going to be police on campus, what will the alternatives be and how will they have safety?”
Thurmond argued that some school districts across the state have made similar decisions to remove or disband on-campus police forces without replacing them with an alternative resource, leading to on-campus law enforcement being reinstated.
The OUSD Board is expected to vote on the proposal to dismantle its police force at its 4 p.m. meeting Wednesday.
The state Department of Education, Thurmond announced, also plans to hold a series of webinars on ethnic studies and how to be aware of racial bias. The webinars will be open to students, their families and teachers across the state who aim to learn more about historically oppressed populations and demographics.
Thurmond said he plans to announce more details about the webinar series next week.
“As our state and nation confronts difficult conversations about racial justice, it’s evident that schools are uniquely positioned to tackle some of these issues head-on,” he said. “Like our communities, our schools are also reckoning with the best ways to navigate police reform and an honest accounting with our nation’s complex history.”
All schools should have multiple armed guards protecting kids and staff at all times. No masks, full freedom, armed guards. Constitution class and second amendment training should be a graduation requirement.
I wasn’t even thinking about school shootings–I was thinking–how will teachers and staff keep drugs out? Stop fights and bulling? Apparently they think students are so well behaved? it’s time for more private schools and home schooling,,
If anyone should not dismantle their on-campus police force it’s Oakland. But Oakland and OUSD is run my activist Marxists, so what do you expect.
Police on campus these days is a common sense MUST. Students feel SAFER. Why do you have to be told that removing law enforcement puts students and staff at risk? Seriously, Tony. Also, have you been oblivious to how often there are weapons on school premises?
I’m sure the kids at Parkland felt safe having school resource officer Scot Peterson around.
This is so crazy! I am a teacher and YES there should be armed police in high schools and even middle schools sometimes. Look at Mt Diablo High School. There have been stabbings and shootings there. Same with Olympic. The officer was there to intervene within seconds. It also gives the children a sense of security and they build a bond with the officer.
The Lady who keeps saying to stop funding the police should go live in a 3rd world country or in the small villages in Alaska where its up to the citizens to police themselves.
Las Lomas in Walnut Creek is wide open, no fences, no gates and right off Main Street, not to mention the bike trail. Its good to see a police car parked out in front. The campus cops are very friendly and approachable, the kids have a good rapport with them. (Unless they’re a little delinquent and up to somethig or one of the sheep trying to be cool and hating on them).
I asked my daughter if the cops at CVHS were there to deter mass shootings or bust drug users. She laughed, but said she’s had good experiences with the beat cop, and that having the cop on campus allows students to see the police in a positive light. Good point. Keep them on campus.
Let’s see how long it lasts without any Police presence. When the sweet little darlings beat up a teacher for taking their phone away. Bet you’ll want them back then. Careful what you wish for.
I believe that anyone who asks teachers about the Police will find that the teachers are 100% for Officers as schools while the kids are mostly against the officers.
That should be all the explanation needs.
A “study” does two things. It makes a buddy of the guy calling for the study a lot of money and delays the inevitable.
Remember a long long time ago, when everyone was calling for more police on campus because of mass shootings? Must have been decades ago, since that problem is all fixed now.
We are so good at rewriting the past now, that even a year or two ago doesn’t exist anymore. It’s always just the crisis and outrage of the moment, lurching from one emergency to the next.
Whoever heard of police assigned to a campus in the first place! If a student acts up in a manner that affects the other students, the parent must be called to come and pick up the student. If the parent either can’t or won’t, the student be taken to the police station until the parent arrives pick up. It’s important that the parent be embarrassed by the kid. I’ve witnessed similar incidents (not in school) and embarrassing the parent can be very effective. The teachers union must stand for what’s right. Private schools can be used as examples.
I wonder if the Marxist DVC bike-lock professor will be hosting the webinars
He assaulted a person with the lock at a San Jose Trump rally in 2016 causing extensive head injury
This state bureaucrat sounds as if he has an agenda to fulfill
I doubt they will be discussing what groups historically are responsible for most crime and disruptive behavior at schools
No matter because we saw it all on tv last month and thankfully we had a curfew to end the violence
I smell a focus group on the horizon!
This could take years…….
Has it occurred to them, that if there were no guns on campus, there probably would not be any police shootings?
For many years I taught in in inner city schools back East. The police were a welcome presence- keeping everyone safe. They developed warm and cordial relationships… and, after school would take off their uniforms and coach sports. Yeah, go ahead, pander to the demands of a mob… I dread what will happen.
Defund the teachers union. School choice is a right. Stop perpetuating zip code slavery. There are no cops at my kid’s school. I wonder if it has anything to do with the tuition I choose to pay. Shouldn’t all parents have that same choice regardless of income?
JROCK It is true.
I am a teacher and I put my children in private school.
I have always said when you pay private school tuition you pay for 2 things. You pay for their security and for them to care.
My children’s education is one of the most important things to me and I would turn off cable and eat noodles if I had to in order to pay for the tuition.
This is true. Another part of the equation is the student. Kids that disrupt the class should be removed. A better environment might be agriculture. Organic gardening, by old fashioned methods. Culinary school, weights and measures, arithmetic, counting money. Shoveling dirt and soil amendments. At least they would have a skill and maybe creativity would be exposed. Hello technical schools.
Kids that could sit still and learn in a traditional manner, could exist peacefully without disturbances.
In 2012 I worked 12 months at a special ed HS, MDUSD. We had an officer onsite. I think the kids liked it. It enabled a better understanding between stus and officers; it was a positive interaction, the kids liked being able to talk to authority on their turf.
An armed presence on campus ? ? ?
Liberals gave you those steel poles around schools with metal signs proclaiming the area to be a “Gun Free Zone”.
That’s all that’s needed . . .
Liberals came up with the perfect dog whistle to attract cowardly rabid mental defectives with their gun free zones and made our kids targets.
Gun free zones guarantee killers a brief window in which they can kill without fear of being confronted and put down by a person with a gun.
https://bearingarms.com/good-guy-with-a-gun-armed-school-officer-stopped-arapahoe/
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/05/fbi-active-shooter-data-shows-importance-of-armed-citizens/
https://www.nysun.com/editorials/a-good-man-with-a-gun-brings-a-school-shooting/90219/
Notice with schools closed there have been zero school shootings, . . . . no targets.
Gun Free Zones get people killed.
An what about that, “Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990”
Introduced in the Senate as S.3266 by Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-DE) on October 27, 1990
Good catch on Joe Biden! So after spending 40 years working for us, all he did was pushed the crime bill to lock up Hillary’s “super predators” (black people) and made kids less safe with gun free zones. Boy the hits keep coming for old Joe. I read somewhere today he had a hand in framing a general and wire tapping Trump. Him and Obama. What the heck is up with these guys?
that’s the problem with thurmond… a politician, never an educator… he will do what he thinks will get him re-elected, not whats good for the children
We already know what happens when there is no division of labor in society. We know what happens when there is no law, and no enforcement of law. Numerous studies exist over decades in the scientific literature of these societies and how they dysfunction. But, if some in Oakland think they have a better idea, and I believe they are just self-absorbed enough to think they do, let them have their way. When they start killing each other off, it will just be fewer troublemakers for the rest of us to deal with. If I was a dedicated teacher in Oakland, I would be looking for a better job.
I worked as a school resource officer and had the opportunity to work with the staff and students. The overall reaction was positive with both the students and staff. I would do it again and I’m sure most officers would do it again . The school superintendent should talk to all parties and not make a quick decision.
That only works when the parents are not just like the kids. Often times you see exactly why the kids are so horrible, disrespectful, and out of control when you meet the parent who is also horrible, disrespectful, and out of control.
The kids now a days are violent, rude and dont care if you call their parents. That’s one reason police presence should be on campus. The other reason is to protect our children from being shot by some crazy.
Why do Californians continue to vote for Democrats they are Marxist communist and socialists. Californians stop complaining you voted for these people. If you really want to improve the state vote red do not elect one more Democrat
Was that a can I just heard, being kicked down the road ? ?
I almost fell over with my legs in the air when I heard that teachers were still getting paid full time and only held 1 hour a week “office hours” at a middle school in Pleasant Hill to answer every child’s questions.
As a teacher, I would never do that to my students. I love them all and want to better their lives especially during this crazy time. The more challenging ones are my favorite because they end up with me more often. My easy going children are amazing and a breath of fresh air. They are all my favorites.
You have a beautiful mind. 🙏
I know of many teachers in MDUSD that cayy a gun and have for years. My keys D’s when in 6-12th grades knew of teachers that carried guns because I told them which ones did and instructed them to always know what rooms they taught in so they knew where to go in case if trouble.
This is a stupid study!
Are you indicating that you know of many teachers that carry a gun at work? It is a felony… have they been evaluated psychologically and properly trained in case something goes down?
Even if they’ve a basic CCW, they need the superintendents consent.
You owe it to the safety of our children to turn these teachers in.
Yes. Study it. This looks horrible and should immediately be put to an end! No more cops on campus. Look at these poor kids at Heritage High in Brentwood!
https://youtu.be/T1uAp69IJnk
The world is losing its mind.
@ kelevra … thank you for sharing the video! Brought tears to my eyes and gave me some hope that there’s still some sanity in the world 🙂
Here we go when ever a problem arises what do the democrats do
Focus groups paid for by us and who controls that money yep democrats
And who is watching those controlling that money …yep democrats
Thurmond also announced that he established a task force of legislators, researchers, advocacy groups and law enforcement representatives that will focus on the effect of police officers on school campuses.
How much for all of this
Millions
What will be done
Most likely very little
Will mitchoff be on one or more of those panels
You betcha
My question is what are these dept heads being paid for it they can’t make a decision
Why are we paying for people to sit and make hundreds of thousands of dollars to only spend way more to have others decide how to fix the problem
The bias corrupt system of fleecing tax payers in full swing
Next will be a focus group of how to force people to wear masks for another year
And then 2 more years and more after
The control wars have begun
And the first skirmishes have gone without opposition but with applause and acceptance of fear mongering
Congrats you have conformed to the occupation
Well, the Oakland School Board declared open season on students when it disbanded its school police agency. That soon to begin giant sucking sound will be parents getting their kids the hell out of that hell. I expect board members will be monitoring the halls of schools daily looking for guns, weapons, drugs, assaults, etc. etc. etc. GFL!
Thurmond’s statement that there should never be a time when anyone “criminalizes” our kids overlooks the facts that a lot of kids already have been “criminalized” at home and then bring it to school.
Thurmond doesn’t know unless he has talked to the teachers and police officers. I would think if I were a teacher in Oakland, I would rather have an officer on campus than deal with the few students that are disruptive, disrespectful, and/or violent. If parents are working, they can’t (or won’t) always take off from work to pick their son/daughter up if they’re causing trouble.
Thurman says “no one should be in a position to criminalize our kids “. What about the kids who criminalize themselves? In Thurmond’s eyes should children who commit crimes in school just be allowed to continue? This anti-law-enforcement noise is just that. This is an attempt at being stylish.
Remember the security guard and or cop at LL that stopped a crazed student from shooting up an assembly ? I do! He’s a hero. Imagine if he wasn’t there? How many kid’s and teachers would have lost their lives!
Are we going to stop this madness?
See what happens when you elect people with no common sense and logic. Wait, that’s a requirement to be a California politician. You reap what you sow…