The Los Angeles Unified School District on Tuesday approved a plan to scrap $ 25 million from its policing budget and cut off 133 officers from schools with the goal of diverting funds to achieve a proposed plan for black students.
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A total of $ 36.5 million – which includes the money linked to the funding of school policing, together with an additional $ 11.5 million from next year’s general fund budget – will be invested in racial quality initiatives and to appoint ‘climate coaches’ and other counselors to support, among other things, decalcification tactics in conflict.
Meanwhile, the plan has reduced the police footprint in schools to 211 officers, police chief Leslie Ramirez said at the school board meeting on Monday.
The move comes after months of debate and pressure by a coalition of student advocacy groups – including Black Lives Matter, Students Deserve and the Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition – to defend the police and bolster initiatives to support underprivileged minority communities.
The move to #FundBlackFutures gained momentum this past summer following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody after an officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
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“Student safety is everyone’s responsibility and begins with creating a school environment centered on the social-emotional well-being of students,” council president Kelly Gonez said in a statement. “The Council’s investment in the Black Student Achievement Plan ensures that we work actively to promote equity in the district.”
Despite advocacy groups praising the actions taken to encourage the academic success of black students, not all members of the community agreed.
According to a district survey, students, parents and school staff believed that the police helped keep campuses safe, but the numbers outlined by racial demographics showed that black students and parents were less comfortable with the police compared to Asian Americans, Latino or White students. according to the Los Angeles Times. In addition, nearly a quarter of parents were opposed to diverting money from policing to other initiatives.
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“Change is essential. Investments and behavior must be different if we want the outcomes to be different,” councilor Mónica García said in a statement. “Black students, parents, teachers and allies demanded that we interrupt the school after jail. We all have more work to do.”
“School safety remains my top priority and I look forward to ongoing discussions with my colleagues and the supervisor on how we continue to protect and support our students,” said Dr. George J. McKenna III added.