Los Angelesâs Move to Reduce Police in Schools
Thursday: The decision comes after months of calls to defund the police. Also: A state pandemic aid package.
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Protesters outside the Unified School District headquarters in June calling on the Board of Education to defund school police in Los Angeles.Credit.Mario Tama/Getty Images
(This article is part of the
Good morning.
Even as difficult negotiations continue on plans to reopen schools across California, student activists, community organizers and teachers in Los Angeles celebrated what they said on Wednesday was a major victory in a monthslong push to do something thousands of protesters called for last summer: defund the police.
The Los Angeles school board voted unanimously Tuesday to replace school police officers on campuses with staff trained in de-escalation strategies and conflict resolution and approve a $36.5 million Black Student Achievement Plan.
LA school board removes officers from campuses, approves Black student investment
By Margaret Shuttleworth City News Service
Published
LAUSD cuts 133 school police positions
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles school board voted unanimously Tuesday to replace school police officers on campuses with staff trained in de-escalation strategies and conflict resolution. They also approved a $36.5 million Black Student Achievement Plan.
The board voted to cut 133 school police positions 70 sworn employees, 62 non-sworn employees and one support staff member. The staff reductions reduce the school police department s annual budget from $77.5 million to $52.5 million.
Instead of officers, school climate coaches will be stationed at all secondary schools. Officers will remain on call to respond to emergencies and incidents on campuses with a goal of a three-to-five minute response time.
The Los Angeles school board voted unanimously Tuesday to replace school police officers on campuses with staff trained in de-escalation strategies and conflict.