Chicago Board Of Education Votes To Keep Police In Schools, Again

CHICAGO — Despite ongoing protests, cops will remain in the hallways of some public schools this year.

Amid activist calls to eliminate the $33 million from the district budget earmarked for school resources officers, Mayor Lori Lightfoot left the decision to remove cops to local school councils.

Since then, 17 of 77 local school counsels voted to do away with in-school officers.

In a split vote Wednesday, the Chicago Board of Education renewed its contract with Chicago police to provide officers in schools. The $12 million contract— $22 million less than last year —was approved in a 4-2 vote with one board member abstaining.

Earlier this month, public school leaders announced reforms that would only allow officers with exemplary records to work in schools, eliminated officers in-school access to police gang databases and calls for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability to investigate misconduct allegations that occur in schools.