The pros and cons of school resource officers

One safety measure used by Metro Nashville Public Schools is school resource officers — SROs — which are staffed by the city’s police department. 

But having police officers in schools isn’t a panacea. It’s unclear if having SROs can prevent major tragedies like school shootings. And critics say that having officers in schools exacerbates the school-to-prison pipeline by criminalizing behavior that could be resolved in other ways, like counseling, conflict resolution or other restorative practices. 

But if not SROs, how else can we protect our schools from threats? What can school staffers tell us about where threats are coming from? And how do you young people feel about their safety, and walking the halls with SROs?

On on this first day of school for Nashville, we’ll start today’s show with WPLN education reporter Alexis Marshall.

Guests:

• Israel Perez, high school senior

• Mac Hardy, director of operations, National Association of School Resource Officers

• Jonathan Brocco, educator and school administrator in Nashville

• Nancy Duchesneau, senior P-12 researcher with Education Trust

• Judge Sheila Jones Calloway, Davidson County Juvenile Court

This episode was produced by Alexis Marshall and Magnolia McKay.