PORTLAND, Oregon — A group of high school students want to pull police officers out of every school in the Portland tri-county area.
"There's so much momentum and potential to change things currently and so we want to make sure that we are taking advantage of that momentum and doing as much good as possible with it," Emily Zou, a sophomore at Lakeridge High School, said in reference to the Black Lives Matter protests and the decision in Portland to pull police officers from public schools.
Zou and Samantha Block are part of a group called Oregon Student Voice They hope to rally teens and force police out of more schools.
"We really want emphasize making students active participants in their own education," explained Block.
The group started a petition focusing on 18 school districts in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. Students believe school resource officers don't help.
"What is clear, however, are the harms of school resource officers," said Block. "They increase the amount of arrests, school suspensions and expulsions within schools, especially for students of color."
Students said they want school resource officers out of schools but want to keep that funding within school districts in order to provide de-escalation training for teachers, more mental health resources and programs and more counselors.
Besides gathering names, the group will connect with students in other districts.
"From this petition, we are also connecting with people, giving them information as to how to testify in front of school boards and how to take further action," said Block.
While COVID-19 could delay classes this fall, students are moving forward with their petition now.
"It's important that we take these steps now while there is still momentum built up to make sure that by the time school does fully reopen, the steps have already been taken," explained Block.