News
October 09, 2024 | By Benjamin Yount
Policy Issues
Crime & Safety Education

MPS Sued Over School Resource Officers: “Officers Are Not Optional”

Milwaukee Public Schools agreed to return 25 school resource officers to their buildings as part of 2023’s shared revenue deal. Those officers were supposed to be in MPS schools by January.

Ten months after Milwaukee Public Schools missed the deadline to return school resource officers to their buildings, a group of parents is now suing.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty on Wednesday filed a lawsuit on behalf of Milwaukee mom, Charlene Abughrin.

“I think MPS needs to take their input from the parents and put those safety resource officers in the school. Otherwise, it's just reckless and dangerous behavior left unchecked. No discipline, no consequences,” she said.

Milwaukee Public Schools agreed to return 25 school resource officers to their buildings as part of 2023’s shared revenue deal. Those officers were supposed to be in MPS schools by January.

“Despite these plain and positive duties, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors has not complied with the statute, and several individual board members have publicly said they do not want to comply with the statute,” WILL’s lawsuit states.

Milwaukee school leaders have recently said that they are working on a plan to return police officers to their schools, but they are not sure who is going to pay for them.

MPS also said it’s not sure what role the police officers will play in Milwaukee’s schools.

MPS cut ties with Milwaukee Police, and fully moved resource officers out of their schools in 2020 after the death of George Floyd. Since then, several school board members have said it would be harmful to return police officers into their school buildings.

“The actions and inactions of the [MPS] Board and the statements of these Board Directors all make clear they are aware of their plain duty under state law, but are deliberately not complying with the requirements of Act 12,” WILL lawsuit explains.

State Sen. John Jagler (R-Watertown) pressed the MPS board back in July to explain why they continue to ignore the school resource officer law.

On Wednesday, he said their continued refusal to answer makes WILL’s lawsuit necessary.

“It is unfortunate that MPS must be taken to court to simply follow the law,” Jagler said. “The suit filed…by WILL highlights the recent violence that puts many students’ safety at risk. A district that does not have protecting students as a priority also misses the mark on academics. School Resource Officers are not optional. Following the law is not optional. Keeping students safe is not optional.”

There have been a number of reports that show both a spike in violence at Milwaukee Schools, but also a spike in police calls for help.

WILL’s lawsuit points to a September news story where the head of the Milwaukee police union said officers were being called to MPS schools “multiple times a day.”

“Milwaukee families send their children to MPS with the expectation that their safety is an utmost priority. Failing to provide SROs has left students vulnerable and has forced Milwaukee police officers—through 9-1-1 calls—to pick up the slack when schools need assistance,” WILL Associate Counsel, Lauren Greuel, said. “MPS’ failure to follow this law harms the entirety of Milwaukee by not only disregarding the safety of students but also by draining the resources of MPD that are needed elsewhere.”

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