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A group of Milwaukee parents is suing Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) for failing to hire school resource officers (SROs) as required by state law.
“I’m absolutely concerned for the safety of my children attending MPS without security resource officers in the school,” said Charlene Abughrin, one of the plaintiffs. She described increasing concerns about student behavior, noting, “They’re assaulting kids, assaulting teachers, and getting away with it.”
The Push from Milwaukee Parents for SROs Amid Growing Safety Concerns
In 2020, MPS ended its partnership with the Milwaukee Police Department. However, Act 12, a 2023 bill, mandates that the district rehire 25 SROs by January—a requirement MPS has yet to meet. School board member Marcela Garcia explained that the delay may stem from “thoughtfulness and resistance” about implementing this requirement, while board member Henry Leonard stated his reluctance to reintroduce SROs, though he acknowledged the program’s potential benefits.
Despite resistance, many believe the presence of SROs is critical. Last school year, Milwaukee police responded to over 3,000 calls from the city’s schools, averaging nearly 20 calls per school day. “Officers are being diverted from other neighborhood needs to handle school incidents,” said police union president Alexander Ayala, emphasizing that dedicated SROs could handle these incidents instead of straining limited district police resources.
READ: 3 Ways School Resource Officers Can Build Trust
Legal Action to Demand Compliance
The issue of who should fund the SRO program has been a sticking point between the district and the city, and Leonard admitted that the school board has only addressed the topic once since January. Frustrated with the lack of progress, Milwaukee parents are now suing to enforce the mandate.
“Milwaukee families expect their children’s safety to be a top priority,” said Lauren Greuel of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL), representing the plaintiffs. Greuel argued that without SROs, students are more vulnerable, and Milwaukee police resources are overextended as officers respond to calls from schools. “MPS’ failure to follow the law not only endangers students but also strains police resources needed elsewhere in the city,” she added.
