Friends and neighbors:

There is a brewing crisis in our schools that demands bipartisan cooperation. Police departments are withdrawing officers from serving as Student Resource Officers (SROs) due to a dispute over a law change made by Democrats and Gov. Walz last session. Without immediate action, more schools across Minnesota will begin the year without an SRO present.

SROs play a vital role in school safety that goes beyond law enforcement. They build relationships, serve as mentors, and respond to conflicts. Their presence establishes calm and order. Now many are being pulled from schools over ambiguity in new use-of-force standards that police say prevent SROs from being able to keep students safe.

The impact of the change was immediate: A huge brawl broke out and a lockdown was enacted during the first week of classes at Mankato East High School after SROs were removed from the building. This troubling incident shows the potential dangers of schools lacking an SRO.

My Republican colleagues and I have proposed a straightforward fix – revert the use-of-force language back to original standards while keeping the ban on neck restraints that restrict breathing. This would provide clarity and allow SROs to resume serving students.

Unfortunately, more than 40 Democrats in the legislature have dismissed the urgent calls from parents, school officials, and law enforcement to fix this issue. Politics should be set aside when student safety is at stake. SROs are relied upon to manage volatile situations, provide mentorship, and prevent violence. We need to act quickly to get them back into schools.

When the law was passed, many worried it would lead to this very outcome. Senate Republicans even voiced these exact concerns during debate on the bill in February. 

The simplest path forward now is to restore what was working so SROs can get back into Minnesota schools. Republicans are ready to act now and Gov. Walz has even acknowledged that we “may be” right. I hope Democrats will join us. Leaders from both parties should come together on this targeted fix in a special session for the sake of our students’ well-being.

Bill