CHICAGO — Local school councils across Chicago have less than a month to vote on whether to keep or remove school police officers.
The meetings so far have raised long-standing issues around the transparency of the groups, how much they are supported and trained, and lackluster participation.
Last week, the district announced it would post a list of campuses with police officers and a centralized list of upcoming vote dates on the issue. But as the district’s list doesn’t include links to participate in meetings, Chalkbeat and Block Club are continuing to track the upcoming meetings and links to participate.
So far, two local school councils, representative bodies made up of parents, teachers and community members, have voted to remove school resource officers. (Follow our tracker here.) Northside College Prep’s Local School Council in North Park voted 8-0 to remove its officers this fall. Benito Juarez Community Academy, in Pilsen, voted 7-1 to remove police officers from the school.
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 school board declined last month to remove police officers from all public schools after hours of emotional debate and public comment. The board is expected to vote on whether to renew the $33 million school police contract at the August 26 board meeting.
More than 70 schools will vote on the issue by August 14, 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, JULY 27
Back of the Yards High School, Back of the Yards. Town hall meeting – 9 a.m. Watch it live here. Meeting ID: 874 6456 0726 Password: 337452 Join by Phone: 312-626-6799
Westinghouse College Prep, Garfield Park. Town hall meeting. – 5:45 p.m. Watch it live here.
Roberto Clemente Community Academy, Humboldt Park. – 7 p.m. Watch it live here.
TUESDAY, JULY 28
Little Village Lawndale High School, Little Village – 10 a.m. Watch it live here. Join by phone: (US) +1 413-337-2600 PIN: 587 909 752#
Crane Medical Prep, Near West Side – 5 p.m. Watch it live here. You will need the meeting ID and password. Meeting ID: 389 064 7529
Password: 427619
Jones College Prep, downtown – 5:30 p.m. Find the meeting link here.
Westinghouse College Prep, Garfield Park – 5:45 p.m. Watch it live here.
Taft High School, Norwood Park – 6:30 p.m. Watch it live here. Join by Phone: 312-626-6799 Meeting ID: 894 2500 1761 Passcode: 976596
Julian High School, Washington Heights – 7:30 p.m. Watch it live here. Join by phone: +1 318-612-0005 PIN: 189001933
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29
Hirsch Metropolitan High School, Grand Crossing – 11 a.m. Watch it live here. Call in here: +1 928-793-9298 PIN: 627 416 685#.
Dunbar Vocational High School, Bronzeville – 5:30 p.m. Register here.
THURSDAY, JULY 30
Farragut Career Academy, Little Village – 10 a.m. Watch it live here. Call in here: 1-402-713-0273 Pin #909 235 503. More information here.
Bowen High School, South Chicago. Discussion on SROs – 2:30 p.m. More information here.
Austin College and Career Academy, Austin. – 5 p.m. Watch it live here. Call in here: 1-225-434-0365 PIN: 834 164 760#.
FRIDAY, JULY 31
Collins Academy High School, North Lawndale. – 4:30 p.m. Call in here: +1 915-308-8481 PIN: 584 684 957#
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