Police-Free Schools in Maryland

School Resource Officers, more commonly known as SROs, are really school police. There are thousands of them in schools across Maryland, even though many of these same schools don’t have access to guidance counselors, therapists, or nurses to support students’ growth. The evidence is clear that school resource officers are associated with higher increases in arrests of students, and there is an unacceptable, disproportionate rate of Black and Latinx students who are arrested, including children with disabilities. We must work to reimagine an education system that keeps students safe and respects their rights. Maryland needs to invest in students' education, not in their incarceration.

Guests include:

• Erika Strauss Chavarria, educator and community leader on police-free schools in Howard County
• Amity Pope, educator and community leader on police-free schools in Prince George’s County
• Monisha Cherayil, attorney at Public Justice Center

Now is the time for impactful police reforms in Maryland, including school police.
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Produced, edited, and hosted by: Amber Taylor, Digital Communications Strategist, ACLU of Maryland

This podcast was recorded on Piscataway land.

Thinking Freely, ACLU of Maryland's podcast, will inform Marylanders about what's happening politically – from the courts to the streets – so they can get involved and realize a more equitable Maryland for all. 

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