Having a law enforcement presence in the form of School Resource Deputies (SRDs) on elementary, middle, and high school campuses has had a demonstrably negative impact on Black students, Latino students, and students with disabilities and is a driving force of the school-to-prison pipeline. Countless young folk are subjected to pervasive law enforcement surveillance and contact on a near daily basis, justified under the guise of “school safety.” School districts’ reliance on SRDs creates a false sense of security for members of the community who are not affected by police violence and allows districts to avoid engaging in the hard work of creating and implementing a true safety model that protects all its
students.
How DID CANCEL THE CONTRACT FORM
The formation of Cancel The Contract stemmed from the deep frustration and anguish felt by the Black community. It’s heartbreaking to see how little value is placed on Black lives, both locally and nationally. The tragic murders of Michael Floyd and two others in the Antelope Valley, allegedly at the hands of law enforcement, have deeply shaken our community.
These incidents sparked outrage among advocates, activists, clergy, and community leaders. The murders of a senior citizen and a stroke victim at the hands of the LA County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), in addition to the horrifying death of Robert Fuller, who was found hanging from a tree in the courtyard of City Hall, collectively left the community reeling. These devastating events prompted us to come together, united in our demand for justice and an end to the long history of brutality and discrimination in the Antelope Valley. For over a decade, the LASD in the Antelope Valley has violated the civil rights of our
Black and Latinx citizenry, prompting the United States Department of Justice to intervene and establish a settlement agreement to force LASD to engage in constitutional policing.
CANCEL THE CONTRACT FORM ENFORMS AND EDUCATES
Cancel The Contract Antelope Valley (CTCAV), a grassroots coalition, is leading the charge as the first local organization to have dedicated staff and community members working full-time to address police brutality and advocate for reimagining school safety without the presence of law enforcement. In response to the concerning behavior of law enforcement officers in schools, high school teachers, administrators, and parents have united to demand the removal of School Resource Deputies (SRDs). We at CTCAV have witnessed firsthand the harm inflicted by law enforcement on students, which has galvanized our efforts to prioritize care over policing in our educational institutions.
Cancel The Contract has worked tirelessly for the past three and a half years to create a nurturing and safe learning environment that prioritizes the well-being of students and communities. With the expertise of Alex Vitale, we strive to inform and educate local school systems and communities about alternative school and community safety approaches and remove all SRDs from the Antelope Valley Schools.
Alternatives to School Policing
“It’s time to take the $6 million to $8
million per year the district spends on its police force and move it to other programs and services that have been
proven more effective in supporting the well-being of students and keeping
schools safe.”
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