Student voice

Police are here to look out for misconduct.

Cause the school calls them in.

I barely see them, they are only here when something bad happens.

If I see them I think something bad happens, cause most people don't know about them.

To get everybody indicted.

If theres a fight they are suppose to break it up but anytime there's a fight they are not there.

I am unsure of their role.

They look like police officers, but they have a hall monitors role, this and that I don't know their specific purpose in the school.

They don't exactly make it clear.

It depends on the officer -- some come off as approachable, first officer was good, gave advice, built relationships that was good.

The cruiser gives the school a bad rep, some people walking by, something is going down, going down.

They following, you and watching you -- black students are targeted more -- officer One was more focused on the Hungarians here.

Police is a gang -- where do you think all these drugs and guns go? -- they take forever to address issues, hall monitor gets here faster.

There's a camera in every corner -- they come here and they just watch us on all the cameras -- why do we have police officers if we have cameras and also it's a safety issue for us too -- having an armed weapon.

What's the point of replacing the police officers with security guards, they are worse than the police officers.

2 examples of officers -- first officer was really involved and he even coached the football team, the guy last year I dont even know his name, which shows you how different he was.

Some people say that it is a bad school gives a bad aura. It's like, our school personally has a bad rap in the neighbourhood. It is like the TDSB is promoting the reputation we already have. It is not preventing it but stopping what is already happening. We already have teachers and hall monitors...so why with armed, with gun. It just brings a bunch of questions. There is no reason for them to be armed. It is like they are assuming that something bad is going to happen.

I've been here 2 years. I've had officers both years. And they didn't change a thing and are here to see a face and even when you leave high school. Our officer was our community officer. We see him in the community ....not cool. Why say my name in the community, in front of my mom?

They should not be in schools because there are more important things happening in the community.

I think it's good cause they can keep people who aren't supposed to be in the school here.

I don't feel safe because I have seen cops harass people and mistreat people and then tackle and jump people, and they carry weapons which is very scary.

I think outsiders think the school is dangerous which makes people think the school is bad, dangerous or there's lots of crime. It also makes store owners think we are bad.

Police officers make me mad. One time I went into dollarama, and I paid for my beverage, and an officer thought that I stole. They then tackled me. It makes me scared, and I go back to that day when I see them.

Police officers can be racist and discriminate towards the way people look, especially black students.

Police are not helpful, they just take notes and do nothing.

When someone sees you talking to the police, they think you are a snitch. And that's it. Your life is over.

People think you are a snitch and snitches get stitches.

Police should only be in the school when there is a serious issue or for special events.

Sometimes police officers walk around in the school. I think something is wrong.

One time there was a fight and in two seconds they were there. It was good that they came immediately.

When I see them, they intimidate me.

Walking around with guns scares people.

They always look like they are angry.

It's good. I like the SRO. He should get a raise.

I like him. He's black so we don't feel like we are targeted if we are black.

He's really nice. One time we talked about what types of cookies are the best.

I haven't met him, but my brother used to go to his Jujitsu program. he really liked him and lots of kids go to that program.

He's always smiling when he passes students and says hi.

I feel like students are less likely to bring drugs and weapons to school when he is around.

A lot of teachers to talk to him, and so do the students. He's been at our school for a while. He's okay.

I haven't really seen him around so it doesn't have an impact on me.

I know he is really nice, and I like him, but there is something about police in general that makes me feel uneasy.

They make me feel targeted in my own school.

Sometimes I wonder if they are just sitting around waiting for trouble.

Negatively. Students feel uncomfortable. This is my school.

Don't you have better things to do then walk around the school.

They look angry to be here and cranky

When they walk past me I try and smile and they make me feel bad.

The notion of police officers in schools are a threat to students. Threatening kids is a weird precent for students.

I would rather have a cop to defend me I would feel better cause if I defend myself I will get a charge.

People of colour will feel uncomfortable because they are historically targeted. It is bad that the majority of people with colour feel scared and can't do as they please.

Students look at them like teachers. If students are going to argue or fight, they are going to do it regardless. They look at them as an annoyance.

When people see police they want them out of their space, they don't want them around.

I've seen police officers come in and talk to teachers but not to students.

The ones that come in are not approachable.

Normally they go into the office.

It depends on the officer -- some come off as approachable, first officer was good, gave advice, built relationships that was good.

The cruiser gives the school a bad rep, some people walking by, something is going down, going down.

They don't seem friendly or approachable, they never smile.

They are like 6 foot tall and are intimidating.

One time I saw the officers get into a fight with a kid. They threw him against that wall and asked are you trying to act big?

No, because they don't know anything, they are just a suit.

There have been fights at the front of the school and they just stay in the office.

They don't interact with us.

They target the black youths that live in low income houses -- yes it's so sad.

There is a teacher, officer in the office and i looked down in the gun for one second and I looked at it --I got called by the VP, why were you looking at the gun?

It's good in case there is a serious situation where someone could get dangerously injured. SROs don't really harass people in the school. They ask you what is the problem.

I feel safe and intimidated.

Having a police at our school makes it seem like our school is bad -- and it looks bad on our staff too, makes it seem like they can't do their job properly.

He tried to set me up before. He was asking me all these informations, he was undercover too, I thought he was a hall monitor, some of the stuff I told him he reported back to the office and I almost got suspended. Someone told me don't say anything around him.

We have a lot of undercover police officers in school.

Whenever there's a fight there are police officers hanging out after the fight at the school.

I don't want to go to school and find out that one of my peers has been arrested - the sole purpose of school is school - not to be arrested.

They use police as a threat - if you do this, just know you can be locked up.

The cops automatically feel that they have this dominance and power against us - there are ways they scare us and use information against - we don't have any power or voice.

I feel like some of the cops that come to school after the fight, they kind of get intimidated - because there are so many black people around and there are less of them and if they bring more of them to us they think we are going to stoop down - especially if we know our rights - we come together as one.

After the incident with the guy being chased there were lots of police officers around.

A lot of people put it on snapchat and say he look at our school it's not safe

And they follow us for lunch at X - they just sit right there and when we leave they leave

After school we go to Burger King or Macdonalds - Burger King we hung out - they just come there and sit there watching. It's really annoying - we aren't even doing anything - they just follow our group - like black kids - after school - they time us - that's why I don't go anywhere.

When we speak out against what they are doing then they say I can put a charge on you.

One time at a restaurant - black student fighting a white student during lunch - they threw the black student after the white guy - they didn't even arrest the white guy when it was the white guy who initiated the fight. There were a lot of black students - we were cussing off the police officer - you can't lock up one student and not the other - people started pulling out their phones - we were told to put away our phones. Everyone can see this was an unfair situation, the black guy is the kind of person who would walk away.

One situation with the big big fight with the 2 boys - and then people said his big brother would come and shoot up the school.

There are things in the school that should be dealt with - I feel instead of police in schools we have hall monitors - fix up the washrooms and get more programs - the ceilings are broken, water is dripping.

What has a cop done for you? They are taking up space, they are unwanted eyes. Hall monitors are older brothers to us - they aren't jumpy - they could do things to suspend us.

One reason why I come to school is to learn and to enjoy myself but if police are going to be there to shut down my enjoyment - you can't just study all the time - it gets you stressed out - some times you need a break off.

They are very judgemental - if they think you are coming from a certain door - they are trying to come for you, smell you, sniff you to see if you've smoked - they are invading your privacy. He was in the hallway.

We understand how the police treat us and so we stick together.

I feel the police officers are unwanted in the school.

They make us feel unsafe.

I was always safe, I wasn't scared of school.

We get a raw attitude when they are around - there was even a full-on full-on fight between a student and an SRO - he was just bothering him - student was having a bad day, he said I'm just going to sit here - SRO decided to sit beside him and he pushed him - big commotion.

I really do feel like they are intimidated by us for little reasons - whenever we do little things they call back up so quick.

Sometimes I am intimidated by them but it's not like I can call back.