ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — This week, Orange County Schools met with police chiefs from five cities: Apopka, Winter Garden, Winter Park, Ocoee, and Windermere, to discuss keeping school resource officers in their schools.
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The meeting was not open to the public but WFTV learned the negotiations about keeping school resource officers are ongoing.
Increased costs to keep SROs in Orange County schools have become a major hurdle in discussions.
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Neither side says they can afford the cost of keeping the SROs.
The district could turn to volunteer guardians, a plan some parents who showed up for public comment don’t support.
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One parent addressed the school board and said, “Arming barely trained individuals to come into our schools
concerns me. I want professionals teaching in our classrooms and professionals making sure our schools are safe.”
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An agreement is expected to be reached by the end of this month.
Orange County Public Schools currently have a one-year contract with law enforcement, an agreement that secures School Resource Officers on campuses for the 2024-25 school year.
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