30 August 2023
ST. PAUL Republicans in Minnesota are calling on Gov. Tim Walz to hold a special session so lawmakers can change legislation that has prompted law enforcement to pull resource officers out of schools.
Sen. Zach Duckworth, R-Lakeville, said Wednesday, Aug. 30, during a news conference at the state Capitol that he has bipartisan support for a one-page bill draft that would repeal a clause in the 2023 education bill that authorizes school employees or agents to use “reasonable force when it is necessary … to restrain a student to prevent bodily harm or death.” Law enforcement have cited this law as a reason to pull school resource officers out of school systems, saying it prevents them from restraining students for nonviolent incidents.
“The urgency is real,” Duckworth said. “It’s unacceptable to parents that the Legislature would wait six or more months to address this immediate concern. There is no time to spare when it comes to the safety of our kids.”
Law enforcement and school administrators joined Republicans at the news conference.
Several law enforcement agencies, including the Moorhead Police Department and Clay County Sheriff’s Office, have suspended contracts with schools to have officers stationed inside district buildings, though an exact number of impacted school districts is unknown. Others agencies are discussing how to handle the law.
Moorhead made its decision on Thursday, Aug. 24, the first day of school, while Clay County made its announcement about pulling officers out of schools on Monday, a week before classes begin at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton and Ulen-Hitterdal public schools.
Pulling resource officers out of schools puts the safety of children at risk, Republicans said during the news conference.
“Mom and dads count on us to safeguard our children,” said Rep. Jeff Witte, a Republican from Lakeville who is a former police officer. “This law makes our kids, teachers and schools less safe and needs to be fixed before the school year starts.”
Walz, a Democrat, has not responded to requests by The Forum for comment on this matter.
Check back for updates as this story develops.]]>