The Consequences of Cops
in North Carolina Schools
Despite clear evidence regarding the negative impact of police on students and school environments, North Carolina continues to devote millions of dollars to placing armed law enforcement officers in schools. But prioritizing funding for police officers over funding for other school staff and community-based supports is a policy choice that has had grave consequences for North Carolina’s children, especially Black youth and students with disabilities.
This report presents and discusses the implications of federal data regarding the investment that North Carolina has made in staffing its schools with police officers instead of the mental health providers that students need like counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and community health workers. The report analyzes the consequences of this choice by reviewing federal data regarding school referrals to law enforcement, with particular attention to disparities by race and disability status. In addition, the report highlights state data that shows disturbing racial disparities regarding school-based complaints and charges for disorderly conduct in schools in particular.
Have you been harmed or mistreated by school police officers or security guards? Our partners at EJA can provide students and parents with the support needed to submit and monitor formal complaints against school police officers and school security guards who violate their rights and harm students while attending school or participating in a school-related activities. Submit a complaint here.
You can find a factsheet that summarizes the findings in our report here.
Below, you can find interactive charts, graphs, and tables that display the data in our report. They illustrate the results of these policy choices, including the presence of police officers in North Carolina’s schools instead of counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and community health workers. The racial disparities in school-based complaints and disorderly conduct charges are also apparent, illustrating the arbitrary and discriminatory nature of law enforcement referrals.