PROPOSED CHS COP SPARKS FEAR, OBJECTIONS

Several school board members attend the security forum

The proposal to assign a police officer to Columbia High School brought mixed reactions from those who attended a school district security forum Monday night, especially from several students of color who say there remains a fear of law enforcement among many at the school.

Superintendent John Ramos

The idea of a police school resource officer (SRO) for the high school, who would have an office and be in regular contact with students and staff, dates back about a year to the incidents of weapons being brought to the Maplewood Middle School and CHS. Many urged more security at a big community meeting soon after.

When efforts to obtain grant money to fund the position failed, the district reached out to South Orange and Maplewood to split the funding three ways. Both towns have agreed to pay about $30,000 each, leaving just a school board approval and funding for its third needed.

Maplewood and South Orange police

"We have had a successful experience here with a school resource officer program," Maplewood Police Chief Robert Cimino said about the previous effort, in which a SRO was placed at CHS from 2002 to 2008. "They are a well-recognized form of a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the educational system."

CHS Principal Elizabeth Aaron agreed: "There is a lot of opportunity to introduce that person to students and staff and really engage."

S.O. President Sheena Collum and Maplewood Mayor Vic Deluca

But when the issue was raised at Monday night's event, many in the audience -- including mostly African-Americans -- said the racial divide makes them worried.

One African-American junior girl called it, "a first step in the wrong direction," later adding, "small evidence of past success cannot determine future success."

Several other students cited the recent incident in which a racially offensive Instagram photo was posted depicting two white students with facial scrub that looked like black face and included a racial slur. 

They said that is just the tip of an ongoing racial problem that also included unfair treatment of black students by some staff and security guards. They fear police would do the same. 

"No minorities are going to feel protected by the officers coming in," said one black female student. "Especially after the black face incident." 

Another student of color added, "I don't think having an officer in the school would be beneficial. It is very unfortunate that your uniform is scary to us, but it is." 

One white parent stated, "again and again, black students are the ones abused and to say it's not going to happen here, I don't believe it."

"What I am concerned about is not necessarily the idea of the SRO, but the idea that the decision appears to have already been made," said Nina Kambili, a CHS student and the student representative of the school board, who is also a woman of color. She later called the forum "a sham."

Then there were two black former students who recited a story from 2003 when they said a police officer assigned to CHS slammed one of them to the floor and injured him in the cafeteria. 

"To me it traumatized me," said the man, now 34. "The excessive force that was used on me. 

The other former student, who said he witnessed it, added, "The minute you get the cops back in those doors, the black kids are going to feel threatened."

But Superintendent John Ramos said he believes the SRO is necessary in light of school shootings and attacks that have plagued the U.S. for the past few years: "I think it's a good idea because I am mostly concerned about outsiders coming in."

Ramos stressed the fact that no decision has been made. School Board President Elizabeth Baker echoed that assurance.

"There's a very mixed view among the board," Baker said. "The SRO is part of the discussion, but it cannot be the only thing."

Mayor Vic Deluca, who also attended and supported the idea, offered similar caution.

"If the school wants it, it will be made available," the mayor said. "If the school doesn't want it, it won't happen."