Educational Resource Officer Program: Moving Towards a Better + - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Educational Resource Officer Program:

November 26th, 2018

Moving Towards a Better + Principled Place

THE CHARGE

ERO Ad Hoc Committee Internal Work Group MMSD Administration

Patrice Hutchins: Dean, West High School Marques Flowers: Dean, Memorial High School Alex Thompson: Assistant Principal, East High School Johnnie Milton: Multicultural Service Coordinator, La Follette Joseph Balles: Coordinator, Safety + Security Ricardo Jara: Chief of Staff

Identify ways to improve the current state of our Educational Resource Officer (ERO) Program

THE APPROACH

• Envisioning a holistic and team approach to fostering safety

and wellness throughout an entire school community

• Strengthening partnerships among community agencies

and groups to expand and deepen restorative services to youth

• Maintaining a critical eye on our work and ourselves, with

the aim of always doing better in service to school communities

EXAMINING THE LANDSCAPE

Time was spent examining reports, recommendations, and realities:

• MMSD ERO Data
• ERO Ad Hoc Report
• OIR Report + MPD Response to OIR Report
• ACLU: Bullies in Blue
• Historical development of EROs in MMSD
• Narratives of the realities of policing in the

United States and in schools

SEEKING PERSPECTIVES

Time was also spent listening to concerns, ideas, and everything in between re: the current ERO program:

• Students: Relationship-building among EROs is valued; their presence can also feel

threatening.

• School Staff: Clear systems and shared commitment to students is key.
• Families: Gun violence is a real threat; EROs provide a sense of security.
• EROs: Much more than a police officer; shared commitment to racial justice.
• City and County leaders: The status quo is not acceptable.
• Community Groups: Resources could be better used elsewhere (e.g., social workers).

BELIEFS

• The status quo is not acceptable.
• Belonging is at the heart of this conversation and is our key

aim.

• Our actions should always be grounded in our Core Values.
• The work of creating the conditions for all youth to thrive,

particularly our youth of color, is a responsibility that belongs to the entire community.

• Individual, institutional and systemic racism are real - the

entire community has a responsibility to confront it.

THE PATH FORWARD

> Holistic approach to safety + wellness > Strengthening partnerships > Challenging assumptions

* Recommendation from ERO Ad Hoc Report

HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SAFETY + WELLNESS

Invest in Youth of Color:

• 1. Invest in current and emerging leadership development,

career development, and identity-affirming programming for youth of color.

• 2. Invest in the expansion and strengthening of restorative

practices like youth court*, including increasing the involvement of families and the community in these practices.

HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SAFETY + WELLNESS

Reconceptualize the entire safety and security system at each school, with a focus on holistic student safety and wellness:

• 1. Begin with the role of safety and security staff (SSAs),

with an eye towards empowering these individuals to serve as peacekeepers, mentors, and student advocates.*

• 2. Explicitly define and standardize the role and

expectations of EROs, particularly their engagement with schools leaders, staff, and students.*

STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS

Strengthen partnership with city, county, and community organizations, with an eye towards keeping youth out of the criminal justice system

• 1. Explore incorporation of the voice of youth and families

into the selection, assessment, and retention of EROs*

• 2. Expand the public ERO report using qualitative and

quantitative data analyzed through a racial equity lens*

STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS

• 3. Further develop critical competency (e.g., challenging

implicit racial bias, trauma-informed care, adolescent development, for instance) among EROs and all safety staff* through courses co-developed with MMSD and community organizations.

• 4. Explore methods for sharing ERO costs, and use savings

to invest in identity-affirming and leadership development programming for youth of color, and restorative justice programs.

STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS

• 5. Provide EROs the flexibility to:

○ Use soft uniforms ○ Remain at specific school assignment beyond the current limit.*

CHALLENGING ASSUMPTIONS

Encourage innovative approaches to fostering school safety and wellness

• 1. Commit to the exploration of new approaches to

fostering safety and wellness and the creation / re-conceptualization of roles to support this new system.

• 2. Integrate students, staff, families, and community

members into the design process.

MOVING FORWARD

We must do better.

Q + A