Testimony: The Recommendations of the Police Reform Commission
Children’s Law Center Policy Attorney Danielle Robinette testified before the DC Council’s Committee of the Whole and Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety about the need to reimagine school security and CLC’s hope that school safety recommendations issued in the DC Police Reform Commission’s report will be implemented. In particular, she encouraged the Council to seize the opportunity to pursue transformative, bold alternatives to law enforcement in District schools and create a more welcoming school environment for students by removing SROs from DC public schools. Creating a safe and supportive school climate is imperative if we expect students returning to in-person learning to recover from ongoing learning loss and trauma. It’s why we urge the Council to instead invest in the expansion of the School-Based Mental Health program, alternative discipline practices, professional development and training for DC teachers and other school staff, increased restorative justice programming and school- and community-based violence interrupter programs.
Read her full testimony: