via Statesman Journal: Salem-Keizer budget vote delayed, activists call for divestment from police partnerships
Thanks to all who showed up and shared your voices in support for divestment from School Resource Officers in the Salem Keizer School District at this week's board meeting. SROs are a subset of local police, and a form of law enforcement which has been shown to discriminate against students of color. There is still more work to be done here - this vote has been delayed until June 23rd. How can you help? Latinos Unidos Siempre is asking folks to keep signing this petition to show support for this divestment and reinvestment movement.
-Deb
Activists with Latinos Unidos Siempre — along with about two dozen other organizations and more than 300 individuals — are calling on Salem-Keizer Public Schools to stop paying for police in schools and redirect that money toward other initiatives.
LUS organizers have been advocating against what's known as the "school-to-prison pipeline" for 25 years now, showing how students of color, students who are low-income and students with disabilities receive more disciplinary action and are, as a result, more likely to interact with the prison system.
Their letter of demands was released to the district this week on the heels of nationwide protests against systemic racism and police brutality.
Theirs is among many efforts in other districts, including Portland Public Schools, to reduce or eliminate police funding in education.
Dozens gave testimony at Tuesday night's Salem-Keizer School Board meeting, pointing to statistics showing black and brown students are disproportionately likely to be given suspensions and expulsions, have school-related arrests or be put into juvenile detention.
Current and past students shared experiences they've had being profiled by school resource officers. Others called out board members and district administrators for not taking enough action. And teachers and parents shared statewide and national data on police presence in public schools.