One item on the list is to allow retired law enforcement officers to work as School Resource Officers without losing their retirement benefits.
“We are working with State Legislature to see if we can somehow exempt those retired law enforcement so that they are not punished but adequately compensated.”
That’s Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. He co-chaired the Task Force which was created last February. They also recommended funding for all schools to have SROs. Currently, SROs are only in middle and high schools.
Another recommendation is to have 1 counselor for every 250 students. Angie Shafer is a school counselor at Bailey Bridge Middle School. At the school board meeting this week, Shafer wore a t-shirt with the ratio 1 to 2-5-0 on it. She said she worries about students who are falling through the cracks.
“Just last school year I had students that were dealing with the death of a parent, homelessness, a sibling that was shot and they’re worried about a parent being deported at any moment.”
Staff from the Chesterfield County Public Schools will be attending General Assembly sessions and they’ll give updates to the board and to the Superintendent.
