ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMITTED

Board Action Summary=====================

===============================

An Outline of the Recommendation to the Board of Education
New Program: Yes 

Modified Program: Yes 

No X

No X

Subject: Removal of School Resource Officers (SRO’s) From Prince George’s County Public Schools
(PGCPS)
Abstract and Highlights:
The Maryland Safe to Learn Act of 2018 requires each local school system to file a yearly report with the
Maryland Center for School Safety. That report must show: (1) that each public school has a SRO assigned to
the school or (2) if no SRO is assigned to a public school that adequate local law enforcement coverage is
provided to the school.
This resolution directs the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) not to renew memoranda of agreements (MOA’s)
with county and local law enforcement agencies that result in the assignment of school-based SRO’s to
particular PGCPS schools. All MOA’s involving SRO’s have expired, or have terms ending June 30, 2020.
The CEO is directed to pursue the “adequate local law enforcement coverage” allowance in the law, in an
attempt to ensure legal and legislative compliance of the district, while removing the daily physical presence
of armed law enforcement offers in all PGCPS school buildings.
Furthermore, the Board of Education affirms that the presence of armed police officers in schools is
counterproductive to the Board’s goal of dismantling the community-to-school-to-prison pipeline by way of
community schools, restorative justice and cultural enrichment practices, PBIS, mental health supports, etc.
The Prince George’s County Board of Education encourages “adequate local law enforcement coverage” to
include provisions for rapid response from emergency personnel in the case of life-threatening situations that
may occur at a PGCPS facility. This resolution does not prohibit PGCPS from continuing to employ PGCPS
security services personnel (without weapons) that work to keep PGCPS students, staff and visitors safe and
secure.

Budget Implications: None
Staffing Implications: None
School(s) Affected: All Schools

=========================================================================
========
Preparation Date:

June 7, 2020

Person Preparing:

Board Member Raaheela Ahmed

Board Agenda Introduction Date (Emergency): June 11, 2020
Board Action Date (Emergency):

Page 1 of 3

 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772
RESOLUTION
Removal of School Resource Officers (SRO’s) From
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS)
WHEREAS, Prince George’s County Public Schools is responsible for ensuring that students,
teachers and other staff and visitors are able to function in a safe and secure environment that
contributes to student learning and development; and
WHEREAS, the vast majority of PGCPS students identify as students of color and are from
communities that have experienced racial profiling, harassment and discrimination at the hands of
law enforcement agencies and other state actors; and
WHEREAS, the killings of Eric Harris, Anthony Hill, Oscar Grant, Aiyana Jones, Rekia Boyd, Eric
Garner, John Crawford, Michael Brown, Dontre Hamilton, Akai Gurley, Laquan McDonald, Tamir
Rice, Antonio Zambrano-Montes, Lavall Hall, Freddie Gray, William Chapman, Sandra Bland, Sam
Dubose, Jamar Clark, Mario Woods, Greg Gunn, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Korryn Gaines,
Terence Crutcher, Keith Lamont Scott, Alfred Olango, Deborah Danner, Terrence Coleman, Jocques
Clemmons, Walter Scott, Jordan Edwards, Charleena Lyles, Stephon Clark, Antwon Rose, Botham
Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Dreasjon Reed, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and hundreds of others, and
the widespread protests and demonstrations that followed have brought sustained national
attention to racially biased police violence; and
WHEREAS, students and other community members have long called for an end to the presence of
armed police officers in schools; and,
WHEREAS, the Maryland Safe to Learn Act of 2018 requires that each local school system to file a
yearly report with the Maryland Center for School Safety that shows: (1) that each public school
has a SRO assigned to the school, or (2) if no SRO is assigned to a public school that adequate local
law enforcement coverage is provided to the school; and
WHEREAS, Prince George’s County Public Schools engages in memoranda of agreement with
county and local law enforcement agencies for that result in the assignment of School Resource
Officers to particular PGCPS schools; and
WHEREAS, PGCPS memoranda of agreement with local and county law enforcement agencies have
either expired or have terms ending June 30, 2020 with options to re-new; and
WHEREAS, funding for School Resource Officers in PGCPS does not come from the Prince George’s
County Board of Education budget; and
Page 2 of 3

 WHEREAS, PGCPS currently employs school-based security services personnel that work hard to
keep schools safe and secure, and do so adequately without weapons and most without arrest
authority; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Education believes that the presence of armed police officers in schools is
counterproductive to the Board’s goal of dismantling the community-to-school-to-prison pipeline
by way of community schools, restorative justice and cultural enrichment practices, PBIS, mental
health supports, etc.; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Prince George’s County Board of Education directs the CEO
not to renew memoranda of agreements with county and local law enforcement agencies that
result in the assignment of School Resource Officers to particular schools; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Prince George’s County Board of Education directs the CEO to
cease any further contractual negotiations with county and local law enforcement agencies
involving securing the services of School Resource Officers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Prince George’s County Board of Education directs the CEO to
pursue partnerships to fill supply shortages and communication gaps, and fulfill the “adequate local
law enforcement coverage” allowance under state law, to ensure legal and legislative compliance
of PGCPS, while removing the daily physical presence of armed law enforcement officers in PGCPS
buildings; and
FINALLY, BE IT RESOLVED that the Prince George’s County Board of Education encourages
“adequate local law enforcement coverage” to include provisions for rapid response from
emergency personnel in the case of life-threatening situations that may occur at a PGCPS facility.

________________________
Alvin Thornton, Ph.D.
Chair, Board of Education

__________________
Date

Page 3 of 3