Editorial: Final say on control in schools

Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1999 | 9:34 a.m.

Some school police officers believe that principals have too much authority over what they can do. For instance, the officers contend that a principal shouldn't tell them what areas of a school they should patrol. In response to this and other concerns, the 1999 Legislature passed a bill that gives the Clark County School District the option of placing their police officers under the jurisdiction of Metro Police instead of school administrators. In addition, the new law requires that the school district create a full-time school police chief.

The School Board in June named Dan Reyes acting chief pending a national search, but Clark County School District Police Union President Phil Gervase doesn't believe this fully addresses his members' worries, because the chief still reports to the school superintendent. School police want the School Board to go one step further and place them under the control of Metro, but so far the Clark County School Board has chosen not to go this route, opting to keep the status quo. The union suggests some school administrators don't take safety as seriously as the police do, but Superintendent Brian Cram strongly differs, noting in a story Friday by the Sun's Jace Radke that they don't take crime lightly.

When parents send their kids off to school every day they want their children to be in a safe environment and get a good education. While it is undeniable that children will have difficulty getting a decent education if their campus is riddled by violence, that doesn't mean that police officers should have free reign at local schools. The fact is neither principals or school police should act in a vacuum; both should collaborate on deciding what policing policy is best for each school. If an administrator isn't taking safety seriously, then the superintendent should take swift disciplinary action against him.

Besides, do we really want school police to have the final word on every altercation at school? "Crimes need to be reported, but every time two friends get in a fight in the hall are you going to arrest both and charge them with assault," Cram said. "Half the time they have made up and apologized before anyone ever gets there. Technically you could charge every kd who decides to duke it out with assault, but come on, get a life."

Allowing school police officers to have the ultimate authority would be an overreaction. And granting school police more power would in turn weaken the authority school principals now have in dealing with students. The School Board should heed Cram's advice and let principals continue to be the final voice on what goes on in their schools.