- Credibility:
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 votes 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, three local school councils, representative bodies made up of parents, teachers and community members, have voted to remove school resource officers, and 18 others to keep them. (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 AUGUST 3
Lindblom Math and Science Academy, Englewood – 6 p.m. Join the meeting live here. Dial-In Phone Number: +1 402-225-6020 PIN: 889 753 793# Find a draft agenda here.
Sullivan High School, Rogers Park – Town Hall, 6 p.m. Sign up here.
TUESDAY AUGUST 4
Christian Fenger Academy High School, Roseland – Details TBD.
Foreman College and Career Academy, Portage Park – Advisory Town Hall, 2 p.m. Join the meeting live here. Meeting ID: 924 5819 1519 Passcode: grkVr6
Gage Park High School, Gage Park – Details TBD.
Westinghouse College Prep, Garfield Park. – 5:45 p.m. Watch it live here.
Roosevelt High School, Albany Park – Town hall discussion, 6:30 p.m. Register here.
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5
Kelvyn Park High School, Hermosa – Details TBD.
Richards Career Academy High School, Back of the Yards – 1.p.m. Join the meeting live here. Join by phone: 662-482-2186 PIN: 896 458 982 # Agenda here.
Tilden Career Community Academy, Canaryville – Details TBD.
THURSDAY AUGUST 6
Al Raby School for Community and Environment, Garfield Park – 6 p.m. Join the meeting live here. Call in to 470-655-0514 PIN: 938 610 033# Agenda here.
Hancock High School, West Elsdon – 5:30 p.m. Join the meeting live here. Meeting ID: 939 0842 9997 Passcode: 496870 One tap mobile +1 312-626-6799, 93908429997# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) Meeting ID: 939 0842 9997 Agenda here.
FRIDAY AUGUST 7
Solorio Academy High School, Gage Park – Details TBD.
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