Testimony Submitted for the Record to the
Maryland HouseWays and Means Committee
For the Hearing on
Primary and Secondary Education - Security –
School Resource Officers (HB198)
February 11, 2016
OPPOSE
Maryland PTA represents over 170,000 volunteer members in over 947 public schools, with the mission of advocating on behalf of children and youth in the schools, in the community, and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make decisions impacting children. Maryland PTA is comprised of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children in Maryland. As the state’s oldest and largest child advocacy organization, PTA is a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families, schools and communities and a strong advocate for public education. Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulations that address ensuring a safe learning environment for all children and youth.
Maryland PTA submits this testimony in opposition of House Bill 198, Primary and Secondary Education - Security - School Resource Officers. While Maryland PTA supports the allocation of funds for school security improvements, we believe this should be determined at the local school system level, school by school or LEA/system by system.
The Center for School Safety, initiated through legislation in 2013, is currently studying school security alternatives and providing technical assistance to local school systems on these issues. The Center for School Safety should be allowed to get up and running and in some ways lead this discussion in the future, before specific strategies aimed at enhancing security are mandated from the state.
Maryland PTA believes that school resource officers should be trained or retired Law Enforcement Personnel with training in how to deal with the larger myriad of issues that can arise in a school setting, including students with varying degrees of special needs. We also believe that there needs to be more programs that educate all stakeholders about the importance of school safety. We also advocate for the adoption of school-level and school district-level safety policies and guidelines, including the preparation of educators and pupil support personal in crisis response.
House Bill 198 imposes a state-level mandate on every school in Maryland. We do not believe there is sufficient evidence to justify School Resource Officers (SROs) in every school. The children in our schools are at risk in a wide range of threats to their physical and psychological security, and these require a range of responses from law enforcement, social work, pupil personnel, mental health, and many other disciplines. We believe that district and school-based decision-makers are in a better position to make decisions for their school population. We also urge you to enlist various other state and local government agencies and the new School Safety Center to partner with our public school systems to provide the additional supports, resources and specialized skills that are not generally a part of any local school system.
We support the use of Education Trust Funds for educational services and purposes for school children or to increase Mental Health Services by qualified personnel specially trained to address the diverse issues and needs of our public school students, staff and their families. Many of these school personnel have been cut in recent years due to budget restraints. This has included Pupil Personnel Workers, Guidance Counselors, School Psychologist, Peer Mediators and Parent Resources staff. It also includes non-school personnel from the departments of Social/Family Services, Juvenile Justice, Mental Health, etc.
In summary, we urge the Maryland General Assembly to support adequate, equitable funding to support all of the educational, social and emotional needs of all of our public schools, so they can ensure the have specially trained staff to promote safe and orderly environments.
For the reasons stated above, Maryland PTA encourages your opposition of HB198.
Testimony submitted on behalf of Maryland PTA
Elizabeth YslaLeight
President
Maryland Parent Teacher Association