PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 16, 2021
School Resource Officers
in Salem-Keizer schools
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Climate change
in Keizer?
Guest
COLUMN
By JIM PARR
Have you noticed that March, and
so far April, weather has been notice-
ably cool? Daily average temperatures
are running about five degrees below
normal and the early morning hour
temperatures have been closer to eight
degrees below average. Numerous
low temperature records have been
broken around the area over the past
several weeks. So are the current cool
conditions a sign of climate change
or just a reflection of typical seasonal
variations?
There are simple parameters that
can be observed and monitored to
help detect both seasonal variations
and what may be longer term changes
in climate. For example, in the Keizer-
Salem area, Red Bud trees generally
bloom beginning April 15th but bloom-
ing can occur earlier or later depending
on early springtime temperatures. In
Alaska, they monitor “ice-out” dates
on local rivers which dates, when com-
pared to historical averages, provide
useful climate trend lines. Whether it is
ice out in Alaska or on the Great Lakes
or the first springtime appearance of
bees and blossoms in your yard, there
are clues as to the state of the atmo-
sphere and climate. Being observant
and keeping a record of the dates of
these annual occurrences can be both
fun and useful.
After several consecutive drier than
normal years, this winter has brought
closer to expected precipitation to
western Oregon. Presently we are a bit
dry again and northwest Oregon could
quickly slip back into abnormally dry
conditions and, once again, drought.
The current east wind weather pat-
tern is a drying pattern and farmers
are already irrigating some of their
fields! Most of Oregon and the rest
of the west is currently experiencing
drought. In California, based upon
observations and modeling, scientists
and engineers are planning for shorter
but more intense winter wet seasons
and the changes to water storage man-
agement plans that will be required.
Similar changes in water management
may also become necessary in the
northwest.
Things change with climate and
always have. It is now known that
about 400,000 years ago, Greenland
was ice free. The last ice age affecting
Oregon was ending about 11,000 years
ago. We may in fact still be melting out
from the last ice age. Ice ages predict-
ably come and go but the frequency
and timing of ice ages can be altered
by global warming. Whether you agree
or disagree with climate change, one
clue that might persuade you is this:
all five of the warmest years on record
for the continental United States have
occurred within the past decade.
This year is the 21st anniversary of
the “U.S. Drought Monitor”, a service
provided by the USDA and NOAA.
The Drought Monitor publishes weekly
and monthly updates to changing
drought conditions across the country.
The USDM website is easily found and
offers useful information for daily and
seasonal planning affecting farming
and land and water resource manage-
ment. Whether you agree or disagree
with the concept of climate change or
global warming, it is a good time to
become aware of current conditions
and what changes likely lie ahead.
SRO should take action to discipline a
child. The legislature must enact these
reforms now.
SROs must be held to higher stan-
dards than the average patrol officer
and have mandatory training on youth
development, restorative justice and
trauma-informed practices, mental
health issues in youth, recognizing
bias, and best practices for interact-
ing with disabled, LGBTQ, and BIPOC
students. When SROs are in schools
they should also wear casual yet pro-
fessional clothing that would make
them less intimidating to the many stu-
dents who hold negative associations
with uniformed police and find SROs
disruptive to their learning. These
practices and requirements have been
implemented effectively in many states
and school districts across the country.
Most importantly the SRO must focus
on school safety and take a back seat
to school administrators, teachers and
counselors for normal youth develop-
ment issues and every effort should be
made to keep children out of the crimi-
nal justice system.
Ultimately the issue of whether
SROs are in S-K schools is a commu-
nity decision. After talking to hun-
dreds of community members during
my campaign it is clear the community
supports SROs in schools. The BIPOC
student led task force came to the same
conclusion. It’s time for the district to
heed community voices, not ignore
them.
(Richard Riggs is a candidate for
Salem-Keizer school board position #1
and is the Western Region Director for
the Oregon State University Extension
Service.)
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OPINION
(Jim Parr lives in Keizer.)
K EIZER times
publisher@keizertimes.com
By RICHARD RIGGS
Recently the Superintendent of
Salem-Keizer Public Schools allowed
the district’s School Resource Officer
(SRO) contract to expire, effectively
removing SROs from our schools.
The decision was made in response to
claims the current model of SROs in
schools disrupts the learning environ-
ment and disproportionately impacts
students with disabilities, LGBTQ and
Black, Indigenous and People of Color
(BIPOC), even though a student led
task force made up entirely of BIPOC
students concluded that SROs are
needed in S-K schools. I agree with the
student task force. SROs are needed in
our schools and we need to create an
accessible, equitable and safe learning
environment for all children so all may
thrive; systematic reform is needed.
There is no guidance under Oregon
law on what, when or how SROs and
school administrators should work
together. There are also no common
standards for SRO training and quali-
fications as there are for all other edu-
cation professionals. Within the same
school district it is possible for chil-
dren committing the same acts in dif-
ferent schools to receive very different
outcomes. One may be disciplined by
their principal while the other could be
arrested and referred to the criminal
justice system, with possible life-long
impacts.
Oregon is uniquely positioned to
ensure all students receive fair and
equal treatment in schools by enacting
statewide standards for SROs. All law
enforcement professionals in Oregon
must be certified by the Department of
Public Safety Standards and Training
and SROs should be no different.
Additionally, the Teachers Standards
and Practices Commission, which
licenses all education professionals,
should provide guidance for school
administrators who work with SROs, so
it is clear whether the administrator or
Periodical postage paid at Salem, Oregon
Editorial Cartoon