The Eugene 4J School Board motioned to extend the contract between the school district and the Eugene Police Department that maintains the School Resource Officer program — set to expire at the end of June — until December 31, 2020, at a meeting Wednesday evening.

Through the school district’s partnership with the EPD, SROs are stationed across 4J high schools. The annual expense of the SRO program is around $488,000, according to KVAL. 

The school board motioned to extend the contract while the board works with the community and the City of Eugene to develop a new school safety model. The school board announced it will provide a first draft of the proposal on August 5. 

“This isn’t about bad apples,” school board member Martina Shabram said during the meeting, “but about an orchard not serving us healthy fruit.” Shabram pushed for counselors and other school resources to ensure the support and safety of students, beyond SROs.

Shabram acknowledged that the presence of law enforcement in schools does harm to students of color. 

The motion also included two amendments: a 30-day escape clause from the agreement and an amendment to remove SROs stationed at 4J schools no later than December 31. 

In a proposed draft resolution, school board member Judy Newman said, “The Eugene 4J School Board is committed to conducting a thorough study of the school district safety practices that will provide alternatives to the current model that includes an examination of the role of school resource officers.” 

A Black Indigenous People of Color Liberation Collective protest formed Wednesday night outside of the 4J building to listen to the live audio of the school board meeting. “If we are going to define tonight as anything, it is a political runaround,” an organizer said during a debriefing of the board’s decisions. 

Protesters taped the photos of school board members to the exterior wall of the building. They posted sticky notes to thank the board members that pledged to vote against SROs.