Top 10 Stories from June: Defund Police Debate Dominates
As campuses prepare for reopening in the fall, they must also consider the future of campus policing — a subject our readers showed the most interest in last month.
The coronavirus pandemic has dominated headlines and Campus Safety top stories for the months of March, April and May, but in June, the coronavirus was beaten out by the historic fight against racial injustice and police brutality in America following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Amaud Arbery.
Most related to campus safety and security, the ongoing dialogue and protests have led to decisions to defund campus police — which means different things to different people — since statistics show Black students are arrested at disproportionately high levels.
For some K-12 schools and colleges, defunding police means cutting ties completely with local police departments or disbanding its own police forces. For others, it means having serious discussions regarding the future of campus policing and reallocating some public safety funds to student supports, like behavioral health specialists and counselors.
While the majority of the most read articles in June relate to defunding police, Campus Safety viewers were also interested in the Department of Education’s final Title IX guidance and its significant opposition by many. The final guidance has significant changes and is expected to be implemented by Aug. 14 — all while schools grapple with the unprecedented changes brought on by COVID-19.
Check out this month’s top stories in this slideshow.
Surprisingly, only one article related to COVID-19 made the top 10. We know school officials are hard at work trying to prepare reopening plans, so here are some helpful pandemic resources and findings you may have missed last month:
- Remote Emergency Preparedness Training Is Worth the Effort
- 85% of College Students’ Mental Health Affected by COVID-19
- Surveillance and Location Technologies Could Help Campuses Track Coronavirus
- Have You Considered These Innovative Technologies to Fight COVID-19?
- 54% of Public School Districts Need to Update or Replace Multiple Infrastructures
Campus Safety Online Summit to Address These Current Events
We’d also like to invite you to join us next week for the free Campus Safety Online Summit since it will cover the topics our readers showed interest in last month.
Happening July 7-8, experts will discuss topics such as the road to reopening campuses, mental health, free speech and campus unrest, de-escalation, bystander intervention, and evaluating school climate and culture.
Check out the full schedule here and register for the free event here.
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About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
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Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century
This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!
