Black and White and Thin Blue Lines

Kemp Freund Weighs In on School Resource Officers

April 06, 2022 Clarke Ahlers & Serge Antonin Season 1 Episode 32
Black and White and Thin Blue Lines
Kemp Freund Weighs In on School Resource Officers
Show Notes

As communities struggle with increasing violence, school boards debate the utility of having police officers assigned to public schools. Two leading Democrat Presidents -- Clinton and Obama -- urged Congress to fund SROs (School Resource Officers) nationwide. Yet, the United States Department of Justice and the Department of Education have issued reports that SROs discipline African American students at a higher rate than Caucasian students. Kemp Freund, a retired police officer with a wealth of youth services experience, offers his keen insight on the value of the SRO program designed in the model of a guidance counselor/faculty member with special training in counseling and anti-violence initiatives. If you are the parent of a school aged child, or a citizen concerned with the future of our youth and country, this episode is worth a listen.