Teachers' Perceptions of School Resource Officers' Role in Safety and Discipline

• In Event: Psychological and Physical Safety at School: Examining a Social Determinant

Abstract

National debate over the use of school resource officers (SROs) has largely neglected teacher perspectives. This study investigated teacher perceptions of SROs and their associations with school safety. The sample consisted of responses to a statewide school climate survey from 10,668 teachers in 404 middle schools. Preliminary results indicated 52.5% of teachers spoke with their SRO weekly or daily and 87% agreed the SRO makes them feel safer. Regression analyses found favorable teacher perceptions of their SRO were associated with positive views of school discipline and lower student aggression toward teachers, controlling for school demographics. Although correlational, these results add a missing teacher perspective that should be considered in policy debates over the role of SROs in schools.

Authors

• Jennifer L. Maeng, University of Virginia

• Dewey G. Cornell, University of Virginia

• Francis Howard Lim Huang, University of Missouri