Tuesday, June 23
GoodKidsMadCity in Chicago, IL: Young people from GoodKidsMadCity in Chicago are organizing a youth-led action demanding Chicago Public Schools break its contract with Chicago Police Department - granting not more police in Chicago Public Schools; that the city defunds the Chicago Police Department; and that instead, they fund mental health clinics and after school centers for students. The Chicago School Board will introduce and vote on a resolution to eliminate its $33 million contract with CPD the following morning, on June 24th, 2020. Join the young people at 6PM CST, elevate their demands on social media, and demand the school board, the city, and the mayor listen to their voices!
Freedom Inc in Madison, WI: The young people of Freedom Inc. in Madison, WI have been organizing for the elimination of the Madison Metropolitan School District contract with Madison Police Department and the removal of police from schools for years. Gloria Reyes, president of the school board and former police officer, announced she would support removing police from schools, but does not believe this decision can be made without forming a subcommittee to study the issue and make recommendations. Youth of color already created a plan: Take cops out of schools and create an accountability process for school personnel who use police to harm children; invest in the leadership, wellness, and creativity of Black youth and youth of color; use Transformative Justice instead of punishing youth; and give youth, parents, trusted adults real decision making power over schools. At 4PM CST, Freedom Inc will be taking action for Police Free Schools, demanding Gloria Reyes put the termination of the contract on the upcoming Monday School Board Meeting. Sign Freedom Inc.’s petition here.
Black Swan Academy in Washington, DC: For the last 5 years, the Black youth of Black Swan Academy have been working to end the school-to-prison pipeline and advocating, through their Black Youth Agenda, for resources to address harm in their communities. The young people are demanding the removal of police from all public and charters schools. Through countless budget hearings, the youth also are demanding the D.C. City Council reject Mayor Bowser's proposed $18.5 million increase to the Metro Police Department budget for fiscal year 2021, including the $2.5 million proposed to add additional police in schools. Last week, the mayor tried to quickly push for the $24 million contract to be approved by the council. Use this social media toolkit to target the D.C. city council to defund school police and MPD, and submit your own videos! Follow BSA on Twitter to elevate their Tuesday Action.
Black Organizing Project in Oakland, CA: On June 10th, 2020, after 10 years of organizing, the Black Organizing Project pushed the introduction of the George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Unified School District Police Department. The proposed resolution would eliminate the Department and the sworn officers. It would direct the Superintendent to reallocate funds previously used for sworn police officers toward student support positions such as school-based social workers, psychologists, restorative justice practitioners, or other mental or behavioral health professionals, as the budget supports, to meet the needs of students. BOP launched their Bettering Our School System (BOSS) Campaign after the murder of Raheim Brown, a Black youth, by Oakland school police outside of a high school dance. The Black Organizing Project, led by Black parents, students, and communities, are in the middle of 10 Days of Actions leading to the vote on June 24th, 2020. On Tuesday, June 23rd, Oakland Black youth and youth of color are leading an Oakland Youth for Police Free Schools March, calling on the school board members to vote in favor of the George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Unified School District Police Department. Call school board members and demand they listen to BOP and the young people marching for police free schools. Sign BOP’s petition here and get them to the 35,000 mark. Follow and elevate BOP on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for day of action details.
Latinos Unidos Siempre in Salem, OR: On behalf of the more than 2,000 youth of color that Latinos Unidos Siempre has served since 1996, LUS demands that the Salem-Keizer School District superintendent, board members and district officials, end all funding that places police in our schools, known as School Resource Officers (SROs), by terminating its contracts with the Salem and Keizer Police Departments and the Marion County Sheriff's office, and any other law enforcement agencies. They demand that these divested funds are reinvested into improving our education. A week and a half ago, 70 people testified against police in schools. During the school board meeting on June 23rd, the board will vote on the final budget and decide whether to remove police from schools.
Students Deserve & Black Lives Matter LA in Los Angeles, CA: Grounded in the decades long fight to end the criminalization of Black youth and students of color in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Students Deserve, Black Lives Matter - LA and many supporting organizations across Los Angeles are calling on LAUSD to completely divest the $70 million from School Police and invest in services for Black youth instead. On Tuesday morning, School Board Member Monica Garcia will introduce a resolution that would divest funds from the school police department by 90% in three years - first starting with 50%, then 75%, then finally 90%. Students demand the school board defund the Los Angeles School Police Department; redirect all funds from the Los Angeles School Police Department for distribution to the highest-need schools in support of Black students; and engage communities on alternatives to policing and targeted resources centering Black students.
At 10AM PST, students are taking to the streets and marching for the abolition of school police, starting at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, 322 S. Lucas Ave. Take these demands to the LAUSD School board! Please use this link here for sample tweets to help spread the word! Flood the Board members’ inboxes by submitting letters of support for Monica Garcia’s resolution. Sign Students Deserve and Black Lives Matter - LA’s petition here.
Urban Youth Collaborative in New York City, NY: For more than ten years, Urban Youth Collaborative has been fighting to remove police from schools. Young people are demanding the immediate removal of all police from schools, an end to arrests and summons, and investments in youth demands. Divestment from school police means removal of all police personnel from schools, whether employed by the NYPD, the Department of Education, or any other agency. They do not want the NYPD School Safety Division to just be reorganized into another agency. All week @UYC_YouthPower will be taking action. On Tuesday at noon, call City Council members using this script and let them know they need to defund the NYPD, get police out of schools, and invest in education. On Thursday, Future of Tomorrow will co-lead a march (with their parent organization, the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation) at 1 P.M. for police free schools and restorative justice practices. The short route will begin in front of Tweed Courthouse and proceed to City Hall. Follow UYC on Twitter @UYC_YouthPower for more information about events happening throughout the week.
