Last week, President Obama took unprecedented action by signing twenty-three executive orders in a plan to curb gun violence. One of those executive orders calls for the Administration to “provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.” While some feel the idea of having more school resource officers (SROs) in schools to protect our children is a sound idea, others see unintended consequences with this this incentive.

The National Juvenile Justice Network( NJJN) released a statement in response to the incentive to put more cops in schools, outlining some of their concerns for those unintended consequences. The statement cites research that shows SROs have limited impact on school violence and lead to more referrals of youth to court for minor infractions that can lead youth on a path to poor academic performance. Although against any increase in SROs in schools, NJJN’s statement provides a list of recommendations for the Department of Justice to require in their effort to hire more SROs:

• Any new SROs hired under the President’s proposal should have training on child and adolescent development and how to interact with children and teens.
• SROs should also receive specialized training in youth development, working with youth with disabilities, de-escalating potentially violent situations, and recognizing and assisting youth with mental health needs, including trauma.

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Check out an interview with Denver Bronco David Bruton as he discusses his experience substitute teaching during the NFL lockout. Bruton was recruited by his high school football coach and in regards to teachers he says, “they do a lot of work, put in a lot of hours, and manage 20-25 kids in a classroom for multiple periods throughout the day – it is a difficult task.”

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In a recent conversation with a friend, she discussed some particulars about a mandatory training her employer instituted. The training was rather progressive and something I had never heard done in the professional space. It was a training to create a safe space for individuals transitioning to another gender.  Consultants, therapists, and trainers were brought in to teach, answer questions, and facilitate a healthy conversation. One of the most important factors is that the president of the organization was an active and fully engaged participant in the training. As matter of fact, it was her idea. Having the organization’s figurehead participate in this training would make other employees view it more seriously.