Remove police-in-schools programs: Policing-Free Schools and Parents of Black Children call on the community

BY PAUL JUNOR

Since the formation of Policing-Free Schools in 2019, they has been active in fulfilling their mission to end police(ing)-in-school programs simultaneously with policing, carceral, infrastructure, culture, practice and create life-affirming space.

It was founded by Andrea Vasquez Jimenez who serves as Principal Consultant and Director and is on a mission to get rid of police officers from educational institutions.

Parents of Black Children (PoBC), is an advocacy group that has been pivotal in providing support and addressing issues pertinent to Black students in Ontario schools.

Together, both organizations have joined together to call on the public and catholic school boards in the York region to remove police-in-school programs.

Before the June 2^nd, 2022, provincial election, Policing-Free Schools sent out a 2022 Provincial Election Pledge for A Policing-Free Schools Ontario to ensure they move towards #PolicingFreeSchools. Part of the pledge states, “Equitable access to education is a human right, and structures of policing and carcerality impedes this access. Policing-Free Schools is a legal obligation, as it is a human right. The removal of police-in-school and policing-in-school programs is a first, necessary and immediate step that can be taken, meanwhile working towards additional changes needed for the co-creation of transformative, healthy, equitable, life-affirming, policing-free schools.”

The pledge asks candidates if elected to pledge to a #PolicingFree SchoolsON by actively supporting:

• Mandated immediate removal of all and any type of police-in-school programs and policing-in-school programs across all educational levels, K-12 and post-secondary
• Review and amend legislation to uproot educational spaces’ policing and carceral infrastructure, practices, policies and culture and creation of accountability measures
• Review and amend legislation in support of co-creation of transformative, healthy, equitable, life-affirming, policing-free, properly and equitably funded, and resourced public educational spaces

The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) is inviting delegations by the deadline of June 10^th, 2022, at 7: 00 pm. Presentations will be on June 14^th, 2022. The link to the delegation form is: https://yrdsb.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx