State schools chief says office is reimagining role of police on campuses

Lonnie Wong reports

EXPRESSING A LOT OF CONCERNABOUT POTENTIAL BIAS AMONGTHOSE OFFICERS.FOX FORTY'S LONNY WONGREPORTS.IT SHOULD NEVER BE A TIMEWHEN ANYONE IS IN A POSITIONTO ANALYZE OUR KIDS CALIFORNIAIS ONLY STATEWIDE ELECTEDOFFICIAL WAS DEEPLY AFFECTEDBY THE GEORGE FLOYD SHOOTINGAND SUBSEQUENT BLACK LIVESMATTER DEMONSTRATIONS.

SEVERALWEEKS AGO, HE SAID HE WASCOMMITTED TO DEAL WITHIMPLICIT BIAS IN THE STATESCHOOLS.

HIS NEWLY CREATEDTASK FORCE ON SCHOOL POLICEFEEDS OFF DATA THAT SHOWSBLACK STUDENTS ARE 3 TIMESMORE LIKELY TO BE SUSPENDEDEXPELLED OR ARRESTED THANWHITE STUDENTS THEY HELP USSORT OUT WHETHER OR NOT HAVINGPOLICE ON CAMPUS AS WELL ASTHE SAFETY.AND THEN WHAT ARE THEIMPACTS THAT WE ATE IT IT'SREALLY A SUSPENSION IN ARRESTSTHERE ARE INCREASED EFFORTSOFTEN LED BY STUDENTS TO DOAWAY WITH CAMPUS COPS EFFORTSTHAT STARTED LONG BEFORE THEGEORGE FLOYD KILLING AND THESUBSEQUENT OUTCRY FOR EQUALJUSTICE BUT MANY SCHOOLDISTRICTS HAVE ARMED POLICE ONCAMPUS FOR A REASON.SCHOOL SHOOTINGS BOMBTHREATS, POTENTIAL VIOLENCEAND GUNS ON CAMPUS HAVE MANYPARENTS ASKING FOR MORE OF APOLICE PRESENCE NOT LESS SOMEHAVE HEADED OFF SCHOOLSHOOTINGS AFTER INVESTIGATINGTHREATS OFTEN ON SOCIAL MEDIAYOU MAY STILL HAVE TO HAVE ATLEAST ON SOME CAMPUSES TOPROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF SAFETYFOR OUR STUDENTS.

BUT THURMANSAYS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERSSHOULD NEVER BE USED TODISCIPLINE STUDENTS SOMETHINGSOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALREADYUSE THEM FOR.AND HE SAYS THOSE POLICEOFFICERS WHO ARE DEEMED TO BENECESSARY ON CAMPUSACCOUNTABILITY THAT SPECIFICTRAINING WARMEST IN TRAININGFOR THEM IMPLICIT BIAS 80ESCALATION, A UNDERSTANDINGYOUTH DEVELOPMENT THURMAN SAYSMORE COUNSELING ANDINTERVENTION PROGRAMS COULDREDUCE THE NEED FOR POLICE WHOSHOULD HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS AND