The Brookline Select Board is hosting a public hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 12 to discuss bringing back the School Resource Officer program. Brookline for Racial Justice & Equity is strongly opposed to this action which would reverse a 2021 decision to eliminate the program that was supported by a majority of the Select Board and a unanimous School Committee.

Those decisions were in line with extensive evidence highlighting how the presence of SROs can exacerbate disparities in disciplinary actions and criminalization, particularly among Black and Latino students and students with disabilities. To make matters worse, reinstating this program would also redirect essential funds away from more effective, evidence-based supports for students who would be better served by deeper investments in counseling, tutoring, and culturally relevant curricula.

Please join us in urging the Brookline Select Board to heed the voices of students, parents, and educators who have consistently advocated for equitable and supportive learning environments without police embedded in our schools. Just say NO to SROs.