If students are arrested or issued summonses for writing on desks, cursing or pushing, I would have to say that's a bit much. I do understand some schools require more policing, and a police presence, but it seems many of these behavioral issues could be handled by educators. Also, if students are penalized for minor offenses, they may very well become desensitized to police enforcement.

A coalition of students, parents, and civil rights activists gathered at police headquarters today to urge the NYPD to stop over-policing students. This comes after the latest NYPD data showed more than 800 students were arrested or served summonses in City schools during the last three months of 2011. During the 55 school days between October 1 and December 31, nearly 300 students were arrested, and about 94% of them were black and Latino. While black students represent only 29% of the student population, they accounted for more than 60% of arrests. The vast majority of those arrested, about 75%, were of males. And, about 19% of the arrests were of children between eleven and 14 years old.

The arrest numbers have increased significantly from the those released in November. In the fall we learned that from July 1 to September 30, a time span that includes summer school and the first few weeks of regular classes, school safety agents and officers arrested 63 students and issued 182 summonses.

While current data do not describe the facts of the incidents, critics say too many students are arrested for minor offenses, like writing on desks, cursing, or pushing. They say this conduct simply warrants a trip to the principal’s office. Advocates like the New York Civil Liberties Union argue too many school children are being treated as criminals, and are pushed into the criminal justice system. Other critics say the NYPD should have no place in schools. What do you say?

Do you think the NYPD has too much control over school safety? Why do you think the number of arrests increased? What’s your reaction to the way the Department of Education is handling student discipline? What more can be done to prevent this so-called school-to-prison pipeline?

As I have said over and over, none of these dozens of school problems will be resolved as long as government operates the schools and unions control the teachers.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

As a long-time resident one of the city, one of the things I’ve noticed is that as the black and Latino student body grows the more police presence you observe, and the question becomes, why? are students now any more threatening than in years past? Or is this an over-reaction by the police department?

Felix Bay Ridge

the police serve a much needed service in our schools. it is sad but walk into our i.s. and h.s. classrooms and hallways and witness yourselves what goes on. to the critics times have changed and school isn't what it used to be. when children are unsafe arrests must be made.

jessica
arden heights

If the statistics are correct, then this type of control over public school safety and correction needs another look. Each school in the NYC department of Education’s realm is handled differently depending on the neighborhood in which that school resides. Principals are no more experienced in handling “inner city school situations than many of the outer borough principals located in areas like Great Neck.

What is disturbing is the figure indicating how many young people of color (males) are being arrested, tried and probably found guilty of crimes within the confines of NYCDOE property. While on the face of this, I would say that their ‘parents’ as well as they should be held accountable for their stupidity, holding ‘education’ hostage under the guise of criminal activity which targets young men of color regardless of race, and sanctioned by the administrative body of the NYCDOE smacks of legislated racism and ultimately community distrust of any political body currently in office. For both law enforcement, educators, medical doctors, and social workers, it is clear that many parents within these communities are in unfamiliar territory regarding how their children act in school when they come; and those that are know how to play the “system” to get what they want. Unscrupulous politicians familiar with the tactics of obtaining votes for ANY office (especially used as a stepping stone for higher office) and using law enforcement figures is just one aspect of the problem. The average New Yorker knows nothing of the politics of any office held in their district, community, much less their neighborhood. Ask anyone on Burnside and University Avenue in the Bronx.

The NYCDOE is not equipped to handle disciplinary problems with students within the confines of its schools because quite simply it does not have the capacity of dealing with incompetent or predatory teachers and teacher assistants. It is only after-the-fact that they react and move forward. Or is it backwards?

Lee
From Astoria

My friend was put on a NYPD surveillance list due to a psychopathic boss at the University of Pennsylvania. When the NYPD first started monitoring my friend's phone calls, internet and following him around NYC, my friend wrote a letter to Dr. Amy Gutmann complaining of this in 2011 (copy of letter on file). My friend knew that UPenn was behind this because harassment began on the Campus of the University of Pennsylvania. He couldn't--at that time--understand why it extended to NYC. My friend copied the letter to Mayor Bloomberg of NYC, Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia, and the Board of Trustees at the University of Pennsylvania. He got no response. In fact the monitoring intensified outright. This let us know that the officials at the University and Mayoral offices knew what was going on.

My friend is not Muslim, but he wrote a thesis paper dealing with the torturing of Muslims by US. His University library books were monitored. One of the psychopaths at UPenn saw the NYPD surveillance program as an opportunity to put my friend on this list. The monitoring of private cell phone calls and internet started when my friend was on the campus of University of Pennsylvania and continued in the City of Philadelphia as well as New York City and elsewhere in the Northeast my friend visited.

We thank Chris Hawley for giving us the piece to this mysterious puzzle that was missing.
This goes to show that ANYONE can be put on a surveillance list arbitrarily by an elite psychopathic individual or bureaucrat.

Shlonda

most of the time have to me made. It's a school call as to which way the matter should be dealt with. Once cops show up the options are limited bc it becomes a liability if the police action is not taken.

nstenia

If I were not already so cynical about most things NYPD related I'd say that the NYPD appears to be doing everything possible to teach students intimidation, fear and mistrust, not alas, respect.

Bill
Manhattan

HOW MANY ARRESTS WERE FOR VIOLENCE GEARED AT TEACHERS? WERE THE ARRESTEES PART OF A GANG CULTURE?

I WOULD NOT CARE TO BE A TEACHER NOWADAYS. READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC ARE BEING REPLACED BY BULLYING, RICHOCHETING AND ARRESTED.

JOE, BAY TERRACE

It seems that nowadays some kids have no respect for their teachers and could honestly care less about even being in school.

I don't think it is a bad idea for the NYPD to police certain schools. When weapons and drugs are being brought into schools, in my opinion it becomes too much for school officials to handle.

Thanks,

Thomas
Alphabet City

Everyone needs to understand that police officers are in NYC schools because kids are not as innocent as everyone thinks. Summonses are issued because kids 16 & older are bringing in knives & marijuana to school. In some cases they are arrested for bringing in controlled substances & weapons. In addition, principals, although they won't admit it, ask for these kids to be arrested. Nypd is not over policing, there are crews, which are similar to gangs, in the schools. If one has any doubts ask yourself why schools having scanning (metal detectors) because kids attempt to bring in weapons & drugs on a daily basis.

Dave
Midwood, Brooklyn

Logically, kids shouldn't be arrested for writing on desks. Unfortunately it is a crime and kids are being arrested, especially since the graffiti is often gang related or a form of bullying. Also, if left to the schools to handle discipline, too often principals will not report drugs or even weapons to the police because they don't want their schools shut down.

Renee from Briarwood

If you look at the DOE Student Discipline Guide, it is very fair concerning levels of Student infractions. However,at the school level it is rarely enforced

We need stricter student discipline, not less if education is going to improve.

James (22 years teaching)
Middle Village

The police are surely not overpolicing. Too often adults make excuse for the children and their bad behavior. The principles and the teachers cannot manage the kids, most of them evan raise their hands on the kids. Most of the people that say these kids are overpoliced, do not have kids in that community, or school and will never have. We all know that these kids are unruly and bad mannered. You have to be on the trains, the buses and in the bus stops to see how these kids behave. If the police are the ones to discipline them well so be it. Most of these kids are from homes where they are not disciplined and have no respect for their parents and others, so they take that same attitude to the school with them.

Please stop making excuses for the children, they need discipline, and it is for the safety of those that are well behaved

Barbara

I do think having the cops around is a good thing. I don't have kids but I am a caregiver to a family where there are 14 and 15 year old kids. The other day there was a boy beaten so badly he was put in a coma. He was hit with a hockey stick and kept on being beaten as he laid on the ground. Where was everybody. Maybe if there was a authority figure around this boy might not have been beaten. People saying writing on the desk is nothing. It could be something. Depends on what they are writing. Some of the biggest and most horrible murderers start out small with so called trivial things . The violence and bullying is out of control. My friends daughter committed suicide at the age of 14 not to long ago for bullying in school.

Victoria
Middletown

I absolutely do not agree with the argument that NYPD should not be in the schools. Anyone who argues this point must not have children in schools in the public schools, especially the Bronx. I am in these schools and I witness violence and unruly students threatening and telling the teachers/staff to suck their private parts. I personally feel that since the NYPD has become apart of the school system there has not been significant shootings and stabbing in the schools such as the time period of the early 1990's. Any one who does not agree needs to take a trip down memory lane during the late 80's and 90's. I am horrified for my son to enter 9th grade in September because I don't feel there's enough school safety/NYPD in or around the areas of the schools.

Meesha

When is Bloomberg going to start taking some blame for this mess that he created

Pedro
Bronx

It seems to me that people are forgetting that the reason officers and metal detectors have been put into our schools is because the safety of teachers as well as students have been put at risk by the attending students. teachers and students have been the victim of intimidation, harrasment and threats to name a few of the issues . guidance counselors are not paid to put their lives at risk breaking up a fight involving 10 students or even just 2 students. teaching is one thing but safety is another.

Bryant

I am a resident that lives in Springfield Gardens, right down the street from IS 231, a predominately black jr. high school. I have lived here for close to 20 years and my husband's family have resided here since the 1960s. IS 231 has deteriorated into an extremely poor performing school with violence occurring before, during and after school every day. Even though this school is in the first year of their "closure/ phase-out", the remaining students continue to mass together and fight after school creating extremely dangerous situations for themselves, residents and motorists. We BEG our precinct, the 105th, to provide coverage after school and punish those responsible for this chaos that we the residents, are forced to endure. If you have never lived near a school such as this one and never experienced a mob of 100+ students crowding into the streets at once, kicking and jumping on cars, harassing residents and causing property damage, your opinion is not based on the reality of what really goes on. And if this behavior goes on at dismissal, you can just picture what goes on inside the school since we see police are called there almost everyday. Do you really think we want to spend our time calling Principle Lubin, the police dept., Councilman Saunders etc. and ask over and over for something to be done on a permanent basis so the residents in close proximity to IS 231 do not have to go into lock-down at 3 pm every school day? The last thing we want is for our police to have to babysit unruly teens who orchestrate fights and encourage large crowds to watch and participate, for their own entertainment. It is a vast waste of NYPD time but unfortunately, for IS 231, it is necessary and we are thankful for the police presence. If the NY Civil Liberties Union and parents of students could see what goes on in this school and in this neighborhood after school, I think they would have a very different perspective. More discipline and consequences for this type of criminal mischief and violence is greatly needed so those inciting this behavior will know that it will not be tolerated.

Thanks for your time.

A resident in Queens

Again we see the results of no family intervention the children most disruptive have parents that do nothing. I see this consistently in my classroom they want to blame the teacher for everything and look to sue both teachers and look to blame everyone but themselves. Schools are babysitters not a place to learn anymore.

Leslee

I disagree with I went to school in nassau how come they an give detention and teach children cause and effect and queens schools can't. The rules were no writing on desks and she did if arrest was the punishment in the schools guidelines so be it

gary from harlem

I don't think the police should be handling safety for our schools due in part to their insensitivity towards people of color. And our jewish mayor should be ashamed. Mr. Mayor remember the holocost? Hitler did the same thing sic his police on the jews and made Germany into a police state before he ordered the extermination of the jews! People wake up to what the white power structure is doing to us!

Brenda from Far Rockaway

NYPD is there to assist when needed.

Unfortunately our kids are not safe in school for different reasons.

Teachers need to stop calling safety agents for poor classroom management. Parents need to step up and educate their children at home as well. If you give a student detention you're wrong. If you make them clean their mess then your wrong too.

But at the end of the day there is abuse of power and our children suffer.

Jacky

I think cops have the right to do anything. That's how cops roll yah know. So police officers should do their job. That's what happens when students do stupid things like they mad stupid you know I'm a student and I don't do stuff like that. I mean like why in school... School is for learning you know. So the police have the right to arrest students for whatever reason.

Arly

I think police are just wasting their time on the most lowest things kids do every day.

Genesis