Overall, while many believe and argue that school resource officers provide resources and support and should be present in schools, there are many more negative outcomes to their presence than there are positive outcomes.
- Deconstructing Arguments Against the Removal of SROs in Schools: A Literature Review 
Deconstructing Arguments Against the Removal of SROS in schools
(a literature review by students at rhodes college)
Deconstructing Arguments.pdf
File Size: 245 kb
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​Counselors Not Cops policy recommendations
DSC Policy Recommendations.pdf
File Size: 608 kb
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Counselors Not Cops resource Guide
CNC Resource Guide.pdf
File Size: 1458 kb
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Remove police from schools (from the advancement project)
According to the School Social Work Association of America, social work services should also be provided at a ratio of 250 students to one social worker. 

Tennessee's average ratio is 417 students to one social worker.

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommends a ratio of 500-700 students per school psychologist, depending on the comprehensiveness of services being provided.

Tennessee's average ratio is 4,428 students to one psychologist. School psychologists are usually the staff most qualified to assess a student’s safety risk to themselves and others

Several states, along with the American Nurses Association, recommend a ratio of one school nurse to 750 students in healthy student populations. 

Tennessee's average ratio is 806 students to one nurse.

(Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, 2015-2016 Civil Rights Data Collection)
  • It is estimated that nearly 35 million youth in the U.S. have experienced at least one event that could lead to childhood trauma.
  • About 72 percent of American youth will have experienced at least one traumatic event such as witnessing violence, experiencing abuse, or experiencing the loss of a loved one before the age of 18.
  • The majority of mental health needs first emerge during adolescence and are most effectively treated during this period.
  • One in five youth will develop mental health difficulties eventually warranting a diagnosis, and one in 10 youth will be impacted by their mental health needs enough to require additional supports from schools.
  • Students are 21x more likely to visit school-based health centers for mental health than community mental health centers. This is especially true in low-income districts where other resources are scarce. 
  • Data shows that school staff who provide health and mental health services improve the health outcomes  for those students, and also improve school safety. Schools who employ mental health professionals achieve improved attendance rates, lower rates of suspension and other disciplinary incidents, lower rates of expulsion, improved academic achievement and career preparation, and improved graduation rates.
Source: Race, Discipline, and Safety at U.S. Public Schools
  • There is no conclusive evidence to support that school policing measures actually make schools—or students— safer.
  • School-based police contribute to less inclusive school climates, which makes students less safe. A 2018 study in Texas found a six percent increase in middle school discipline rates, a 2.5 percent decrease in high school graduation rates, and a four percent decrease in college enrollment rates. 
  • Data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that compared to police in schools with predominantly white students, police in schools with predominantly students of color are significantly more likely to have duties focused on maintaining school discipline while being less likely to coordinate with emergency teams and police in the presence of an actual threat.
  • The use of police in schools has its roots in the fear and animus of desegregation. Students of color are more likely to go to a school with a law enforcement officer, more likely to be referred to law enforcement, and more likely to be arrested at school.
  • The use of school police and similar measures has drastically increased over the past decades. In 1975, only one percent of schools were patrolled by police officers compared to today's 48 percent.
  • According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the percentage of students who reported security guards or assigned police officers after the Columbine tragedy increased from 54 percent to 70 percent from 1999 to 2015. During the same time period, the number of school counselors reported to the NCES only increased by 5 percent.

What is the school-to-prison pipeline?

In this video series by our community partner, the TN chapter of Stand for Children, you can learn about the School-to-Prison pipeline and how we can end it.
Part I - ​Outreach Coordinator Rob Brown discusses what the school to prison Pipeline is, who is most affected, and strategies our community can use to dismantle it. (April 23, 2020)
Part II - ​This session will focus on taking a deeper dive into implicit bias and institutional racism with guest speakers Shahidah Jones and Briana Perry with the Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter and Demetria Frank, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at The University of Memphis Law School. (May 6, 2020)
Part III - ​In this final segment, attendees will discuss what methods and strategies have worked locally and nationally, plus what we as a community can do to continue the fight to shatter the school to prison pipeline. (May 21, 2020)

Meet the couselors not cops cohort

Zahra Chowdhury
she/her
CHANGEr
Amber Sherman
she/her
​Advisor