Contract for the return of Columbia school resource officers is on hold

A contract that would bring school resource officers back into Columbia Public Schools is on hold for a while longer.

The contract with the City of Columbia was on the consent agenda of Monday's Columbia Board of Education meeting, but was removed for more consideration. It was to be considered at a special meeting on Thursday, but district security director John White unexpectedly was unable to attend, resulting in the contract being tabled.

School board President Helen Wade said after Thursday's meeting she didn't know when the contract might be considered again.

There have been no school resource officers in schools for more than a year. The contract ended in 2020 over city financial constraints.

The cost to the school district for the four officers in the contract is $295,164.

Under the agreement, two officers would initially be assigned to Battle High School, with two others assigned as more funds become available, wrote district spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark in an email before the meeting.

"Battle High School administration and staff have indicated support of the addition of SROs," Baumstark said. "There were several considerations as discussion began with regard to how to initially distribute SROs should the agreement be approved. Battle High School has the most immediate need. Its location means longer response times when assistance is needed, and having SROs at the school will help provide that more immediate response."

Juvenile division agreement

Also on hold for the same reasons is a separate agreement among CPS, CPD, the Boone County Sheriff's Department and the juvenile division of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court. That agreement has no cost.

The agreement is designed to prevent students from becoming entangled in the judicial system if accused of some crimes, instead using alternative consequences including restorative practices, peer mediation and counseling services.

Restorative practices place offenders in the room with those they have harmed to hear from them about the ways the offender harmed them, restoring them to the school community.

Parliamentarian presentation

The special meeting included a presentation by parliamentarian Leonard Young, who works with the Missouri School Boards' Association to advise school boards about conducting meetings according to "Robert's Rules of Order."

Young criticized the district's practice of allowing public comment before the board votes on each agenda item.

"In my opinion, that's unfortunate," Young said. "You can't manage that in any kind of smooth way."

It's not a best practice, he said.

Young recommended a 30-minute limit on all public comment. At some meetings, it can last an hour or more.

Wade was asked if Young didn't understand the community or if his ideas had merit.

"It's food for thought," Wade said.

The school board handles public comment differently than the Columbia City Council, and both handle it differently than other public bodies, she said.

rmckinney@columbiatribune.com

573-815-1719

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Contract for the return of Columbia school resource officers on hold