On July 7, Pastor Reason Chandler and other leaders in the Lynchburg Chapter submitted comments to the Lynchburg School Board to ask that the schools eliminate the position of school resource officer (SRO) and use that funding to replace SROs with mental health counselors and other support staff.

Elizabeth Tyree & Emily Swecker of WSET-TV reported on the new campaign. Watch the video here.

From the article:

“That is an environment for the children to experiment, to grow, to learn, to make mistakes and I don’t think that they should be intimidated or afraid that if they make a mistake that they’re gonna be ushered off or rushed off to jail or to detention center,” said Reason Chandler the leader of the Lynchburg Chapter of Virginia Organizing.

Chandler said funding for SRO’s could be better used in other ways.

“If that funding can help improve the administration and the faculty that have to deal with these issues, if that money can be used to help with some parenting skills or collaborate with families and bring them in,” he said.