Amid ongoing discussions about school safety, students at Rainier Beach High School are once again at the forefront, advocating for a school environment free from police presence.
Their petition, which amassed an impressive 18,000 signatures in just a few days during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, resulted in Seattle Public Schools’ decision to remove police from campuses, a notable step towards creating a safer educational atmosphere for all.
However, five years later, the struggle continues. City leaders are considering the return of police, specifically to Garfield High School, sparking urgent concerns among students and their supporters.
The tragic story of Mi’Chance Dunlap-Gittens, a Garfield student who was fatally shot by police in 2017, amplifies these concerns.
Mi’Chance was a senior with aspirations of becoming a lawyer. On a fateful night, as he and a friend were out, plainclothes detectives mistakenly identified him as a suspect, leading to him being shot in the back of the head.
This incident underscores the dangers of having police in schools, an idea that research overwhelmingly discounts as a means to ensure student safety.
Statistics reveal that in the 2015-2016 school year, Black students comprised only 15% of the U.S. student body, yet they accounted for 31% of school arrests.
Further studies indicate that schools with police see five times the rate of arrests for minor “disorderly conduct,” situations that shouldn’t even warrant criminal involvement.
A study published in the Public Administration Review indicated that while school resource officers (SROs) might slightly reduce certain types of violence, they fail to prevent gun-related incidents.
Moreover, the presence of SROs can lead to increased suspensions, expulsions, and arrests, disproportionately affecting Black students and those with disabilities.
What students are asking for is not more law enforcement presence, but rather enhanced support systems that prioritize care and mental health services.
Countless students, particularly those who are Black, brown, disabled, or neurodivergent, have faced criminalization for ordinary behaviors.
Reports indicate alarming incidents, such as a 15-year-old facing felony assault charges for using fart spray, or a student charged after spilling chocolate milk in a lunchroom altercation.
There’s also the sobering case of a 12-year-old with disabilities who was pinned to the ground and charged with felony assault for spitting.
If city leaders genuinely care about student safety, they would focus on funding proven strategies like mental health counselors and safe spaces where students can find respite, as well as increasing investment in Black-led community organizations like Community Passageways and Choose 180.
Surprisingly, many schools are opting for the contrary approach.
A 2019 ACLU report unveiled that 1.7 million children in the U.S. attend schools with police but no counselors, while 14 million are in schools devoid of mental health professionals, yet still have police presence.
In response to the tragic shooting at Ingraham High School, the Seattle Student Union successfully advocated for a $20 million fund from the City Council aimed at improving mental health support in all Seattle public high schools.
Unfortunately, this funding was delayed by Mayor Harrell and subsequently reduced to $12.5 million, leaving many schools without necessary mental health resources.
For instance, Nathan Hale High School currently employs only one part-time counselor who is overwhelmed with demand, while students at The Center School, which serves a predominantly LGBTQ+ demographic, have no counselor at all.
As one student, Ingraham senior Cici Kennedy, poignantly expressed, the lack of mental health resources feels like a dismissal of the importance of mental health care in educational settings.
Kennedy stated that the reduced funding “just kind of felt like we were devaluing mental health support in general and not giving it the attention that it should be given in terms of money. It’s just not enough.”
The call for more meaningful student involvement in these decision-making processes is also growing.
Students are demanding a citywide policy roundtable where their voices can genuinely influence discussions, rather than having decisions made by adults who may only listen to a select few students.
As students assert, schools should be venues for learning, growth, and future building—not places where they feel watched, criminalized, or punished.
The students insist that it’s time for city and school district leaders to uphold their commitments by investing in mental health counselors instead of increasing police presence in schools.
In the coming weeks, students plan to launch a survey aimed at collecting broader perspectives throughout Seattle regarding school safety and mental health services.
They urge everyone to join in their efforts for genuine safety—the kind that nurtures, supports, and empowers every student to thrive.
image source from：theurbanist
