Illinois House approves plan to replace armed officers in schools with mental health professionals – By Avery Anapol (thehill.com) / April 29 2018
The Illinois House of Representatives on Friday approved a plan to replace armed police officers in schools with unarmed mental health professionals.
The Democratic-led Illinois House voted 64-25 in favor of setting up a grant program that would reward schools for hiring social workers, according to the Associated Press.
Though the language of the measure originally withheld funding from schools who hired armed security officers, lawmakers nixed that provision after opposition from police, the AP reported.
The plan will now head to the state Senate for a vote.
The Illinois measure comes amid renewed calls for increased security in public schools after the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., in February. GOP lawmakers have proposed adding more armed officers to schools, despite a review finding that the armed officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School did not enter the school during the February shooting.
President Trump has repeatedly proposed arming teachers and other school staff.
