Black Educators Caucus calls on MPS to cut ties with Milwaukee Police Department

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee's Black Educators Caucus wants MPS to cut ties with the Milwaukee Police Department.

MPD and MPS have contracts to work together.

The police are used as resource officers to patrol certain events and to discourage truancy.

CBS 58 talked with Angela Harris, chairperson of the Black Educators Caucus, who's also a first grade teacher for MPS.

"I feel that schools are supposed to be a place that's welcoming and a place of restoration," Harris said. "And it's really hard to have that when you have a police presence, even outside of the school. It makes the students feel nervous, sometimes it puts them on edge, makes them feel anxious."

The caucus wants the money used instead for anti-racism training for teachers and for the hiring and retaining of black teachers.

We reached out to the police department for a reaction and a spokesperson sent a statement saying "MPD will continue to support MPS and students."