CHICAGO — Local school councils across Chicago are weighing whether to keep or remove school police officers.
So far, two local school councils, representative bodies made up of parents, teachers and community members, have voted to remove school resource officers.
Northside College Prep’s Local School Council in North Park voted 8-0 to remove its officers on campus this fall.
Members of Roberto Clemente Community Academy’s Local School Council are leaning toward removing school officers — but before they make a final decision, they want to hear from the community. The group voted 8-3 in favor of eliminating school officers in a nonbinding, “advisory” vote.
Recent months have seen a growing youth-led movement in Chicago calling for an end to school police programs, buoyed by similar decisions in other cities spurred by nationwide protests against police violence against Black people.
Chicago’s board of education declined last month to remove police officers from all public schools after hours of emotional debate and public comment, but the school board is expected to take a vote on whether to renew the $33 million school police contract later this summer.
In response to activist calls to end the school police contract, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and schools chief Janice Jackson have said each school council should decide on having officers.
More than 70 schools will vote on the issue by August 15, per a mandate from the district. Chicago has 144 resource officers at schools, 48 mobile school officers, and 22 staff sergeants.
Here are the local school councils scheduled to meet this week:
Monday
Wells Community Academy, West Town — 5:30 p.m. Monday. Watch it live here. Call in here: 1-225-414-2353 PIN: 651 127 210#
Lindblom Math and Science Academy, Englewood — 6 p.m. Monday. Watch it live here.
George Washington High, East Side — 7 p.m. Monday. Watch it live here. Call in here: +1 321-529-9124 PIN: 484 747 979#
Tuesday
Corliss High, Pullman — 10 a.m. Tuesday. Watch it live here.
Lake View High, Lakeview — 5 p.m. Tuesday. Watch it live here.
Jones College Prep, Downtown — 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Watch it live here. Meeting ID: 976 5656 7325 Password: JCP
Kenwood Academy, Kenwood — 6 p.m. Tuesday. Watch it live here. Meeting ID: 458 697 0184 Password: 1125
Amundsen High, Lincoln Square — 6 p.m. Tuesday. Watch it live here.
Senn High, Edgewater — 6: 15 p.m. Tuesday. Watch it live here.
Lane Tech College Prep, Roscoe Village — special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Register to watch it online here.
Wednesday
Prosser Career Academy, Belmont-Cragin — 10 a.m. Wednesday. Watch it live here.
Juarez Community Academy, Pilsen — 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Watch it live here. Call in here: +1 513-970-2958, PIN: 899 702 814#
Clemente Community Academy, Ukrainian Village — 7 p.m. Wednesday. Watch it live here.
Thursday
Whitney Young Magnet High, West Loop — 4 p.m. Thursday. Watch it live here. Call in here: +1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 896 1641 2252
Michelle Clark Magnet High, Austin — 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Watch it live here.
Do you know of a Local School Council meeting this week that isn’t on our list? Email stephanie@blockclubchi.org and ykunichoff@chalkbeat.org and we’ll add it above.
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