Vice President Kamala Harris faces backlash from families of school shooting victims over recently surfaced comments she made in 2019 about removing police officers from schools.

According to Fox News, Harris' remarks, made during her presidential campaign, have sparked outrage among those who lost loved ones in tragic school shootings.

The controversy stems from a video clip in which then-Senator Harris expressed support for "demilitarizing our schools and taking police officers out of schools" during a forum at Benedict College in South Carolina.

Her comments were part of a broader discussion on criminal justice reform and addressing inequities in school discipline, particularly concerning Black and Brown students.

Families' Reactions To Harris' Past Statements

JT Lewis, whose younger brother Jesse was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, expressed his disapproval of Harris' stance. Lewis, now a school safety advocate, took to social media to voice his concerns.

My brother was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting because of liberal policies like the one Kamala is pushing here… I wish there had been a police officer there to protect him. Students need more protection, not less!

Ryan Petty, father of Alaina Petty who lost her life in the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, criticized Harris' comments as "reckless" and "radical." He argued that her position would make schools less safe.

Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was also a victim of the Parkland shooting, shared similar sentiments. He described Harris' remarks as "sickening" and emphasized the need for more school resource officers, not fewer.

Context Of Harris' 2019 Comments

Harris' statements were made during the 2019 Presidential Justice Forum, where she was addressing questions about criminal justice reform. At the time, she was a California senator running for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In her response to a student's question about expunging juvenile records, Harris outlined her campaign's plan for reforming the juvenile justice system. She advocated for ending the solitary confinement of juveniles and reducing their incarceration rates.

I will end solitary confinement of juveniles, which includes what we need to do to talk about and have a commitment for less incarceration of juveniles. And have guidelines in terms of exactly what those, those numbers should be, because right now, in so many states, children are being incarcerated for … a child being incarcerated for a couple of days is traumatic, much less the weeks, months and years that we're seeing that happen.

Impact Of 2020 Protests On School Police Policies

Harris' 2019 comments resurfaced in the context of the 2020 protests following George Floyd's death, which reignited debates about policing in various sectors, including schools. The summer of 2020 saw a wave of activism calling for police reform and defunding.

This movement had a ripple effect across the country, with some liberal cities reducing police budgets and school boards severing ties with police departments. According to research by Education Week, at least 50 school districts removed officers from campuses or cut budgets for school officers between May 2020 and June 2022.

However, the trend of removing officers from schools was short-lived in many areas. As students returned to in-person learning following pandemic lockdowns, some districts faced increased violence and safety concerns.

Reversal Of School Police Removal Policies

In response to safety issues, many school districts that had initially removed police officers from campuses began to reverse their decisions.

Incidents such as a shooting at a Denver high school and repeated fights in Alexandria, Virginia schools prompted education officials to reconsider their approach to school safety.

The reintroduction of police officers to schools was seen as a necessary step to curb crime and ensure student safety. This shift highlights the complex and ongoing debate surrounding school security and the role of law enforcement in educational settings.

As of the time of reporting, Vice President Harris had not responded to requests for comment on whether she still supports removing police officers from schools. Her office has not issued a statement addressing the resurfaced comments or the criticism from school shooting victims' families.

Conclusion

Vice President Kamala Harris faces criticism from families of school shooting victims over her 2019 comments supporting the removal of police officers from schools. The controversy highlights ongoing debates about school safety and policing. While some districts initially removed officers following the 2020 protests, many have since reversed course due to safety concerns. Harris' office has not yet commented on her current stance on the issue.