MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Schools that experience a high number of crimes would have to hire police officers and station them in their buildings under a Republican-authored bill the state Assembly passed Tuesday.
Under the bill, if a school has more than 100 incidents in a semester, and at least 25 of those result in an arrest, the school must hire an armed school resource officer to work at the school.
The cost of hiring the officer would be partially reimbursed by the state using federal COVID-19 relief money. The state education department said it could not calculate how many schools may qualify.
The measure comes after the state's two largest districts in Milwaukee and Madison voted in 2020 to remove school resource officers.
The only registered supporter of the measure was the Milwaukee Police Association. Opponents included Milwaukee Public Schools, Disability Rights Wisconsin and the Wisconsin School Social Workers Association. The Wisconsin Association of School Boards also raised concerns.
Democrats criticized the bill as a Republican attack on Madison and Milwaukee schools.
Rep. LaKeisha Myers of Milwaukee said her school board should be allowed to set its own rules and accused Republicans of “wrapping yourself in fear.” Rep. Francesca Hong of Madison said increasing violence in schools is a result of Republicans choosing to underfund public education.
Republicans called the bill a common-sense first step toward reducing violence in schools.
“It's clear the status quo can’t continue,” aid Rep. Nik Rettinger, the bill's chief Assembly sponsor. “I worry that if we stay on the current path, more students and faculty will be attacked.”
The Assembly ultimately approved the bill on a 59-36 vote.
The chamber approved another bill Tuesday that would require schools to collect and report information about crimes on school grounds. The GOP-controlled Legislature passed that measure last session, but Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed it.
Democrats complained that the bill does nothing to stop violence in schools going forward. Republicans countered that parents deserve to know if their children's schools are failing.
“I’m not going to solve every problem with this. This is not a school safety bill. This is a school transparency bill,” said Rep. Cindi Duchow, the bill's chief Assembly sponsor.
The Assembly passed the bill 61-35.
Both bills go next to the Senate. Approval in that chamber would send the measures on to Evers. Britt Cudaback, the governor's spokesperson, didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the bills' prospects.
Wauwatosa School District looks to finalize agreement on school resource officers
By Rebecca Klopf, March 6, 2023
WAUWATOSA, Wis. — The Wauwatosa School District is looking to finalize an agreement with Wauwatosa Police for four school resource officers.
The district has had an agreement with police for more than a decade to have those officers, but for the first time they are putting that agreement in writing and expanding on what they expect from police.
“I think in regards to the school resource officers themselves, we will be able to collect data and find out how many times there is actual contacts being made with the students. And for the public, they will know there is true work being done in our schools to make them safe,” said Demond Means, superintendent of the Wauwatosa School District.
It is becoming less common to have school resource officers. The largest district in the state, Milwaukee Public Schools, did away with officers in the school in 2016. They ended all contracts with Milwaukee Police in 2020.
University of Wisconsin Law Professor Ion Meyn, who studies and teaches policing, says districts moved away from police in school because students of color were more likely to be arrested instead of disciplined.
“We have three and a half times the rate of black and brown students being arrested then we do white students. In fact, if you look at other kind of instances of disparities, it is [on par with] disability. Students who have underlying mental health disabilities are arrested between 3 to 10 times, depending on the state, higher than kids without disabilities,” said Meyn.
Right now, the Wisconsin Assembly is considering two bills that could require school resource officers. The first bill, Assembly Bill 53, requires private and public high schools to report instances of crimes at schools or on buses. The second bill, Assembly Bill 69, says if a school has more than 100 incidents in a semester than the school would be required to have an armed school resource officer. Milwaukee Police Association President Andy Wagner says he wants both bills passed.
"I think it is an immediate resource. They can work with school security to identify kids that may be a problem in the school. That includes kids that may be selling drugs or having weapons inside the school. And it's an immediate thing that the police can take care of,” said Wagner.
But a major concern among MPS parents when they removed the police contract was discipline. However, Wauwatosa’s superintendent says some things go beyond school punishment.
"Schools are a public place. It is a place where the vast majority of our students come to teach and learn...When you are breaking the law, there should be consequences. It is my job as superintendent to make sure our schools are safe,” said Means.
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