Mayor Brandon Johnson takes stand against controversial school policing program
In a recent interview, Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed his support for terminating the contentious Chicago Public Schools (CPS) program that deploys uniformed police officers in numerous high schools. This move aligns with the Board of Education’s evolving stance, with the mayor indicating his intention to give the go-ahead to end the $10.3 million contract with the Chicago Police Department. This was discussed with CPS officials in early January.
The decision to reconsider the presence of police officers in schools stems from longstanding concerns about the disproportionate policing of Black students and those with disabilities. Research has indicated that such policing often leads to students entering the criminal justice system for in-school disciplinary situations. A 2020 Sun-Times analysis revealed that students in high schools with stationed officers were four times more likely to have the police called on them compared to their counterparts in schools without in-house law enforcement.