The Examiner U-46 News FeedVote deferred by U-46 regarding SRO contracts By Seth Hancock
The Board of Education in School District U-46 tabled a vote on contracts for School Resource Officers (SRO) at secondary schools as the district apparently wants to micromanage the police departments.
The contracts, totaling $1 million with four municipalities (Bartlett, Elgin, South Elgin, Streamwood), were set for approval at the Sept. 13 meeting but will now be voted on at the Monday, Sept. 27 meeting.
“I’m asking the board to table this item from tonight’s discussion and bring it forward to the next meeting…. We continue to be engaged in work to comply with the governor’s executive order around vaccination,” said Superintendent Tony Sanders who said he wants the police departments to say “they will abide by the governor’s order” to either take a COVID-19 shot or test weekly.
In late August, Gov. JB Pritzker claimed authority, without any legal backing, to mandate all school staff to take the jab or follow testing protocols by Sept. 19. No law was passed by the General Assembly.
“If we don’t have it, then by the executive order we cannot allow them into the building,” Sanders claimed. He said the district is having “conversations” with the municipalities about having backup SROs in place if the currently assigned SRO is not in compliance by Sept. 19 under the so-called requirement.
Sanders could not explain why the contracts could not be approved that evening but said: “I’d much rather hold off until we know they’ve complied.”
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