This article is one of a series of articles produced by Word in Black through support provided by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Word In Black is a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media outlets across the country.
By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Last week, the Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Board of Education voted 5–2 to reject a pilot proposal to reinstate a school resource officer (SRO) at Garfield High School. According to the proposal, the officer would have been assigned in partnership with the Seattle Police Department for a one-year trial.
The decision sparked immediate reaction across the Central District and the city, as community members continued to weigh the possible risks and benefits of placing police officers inside schools.
Garfield PTSA members, who supported the pilot, expressed frustration with the Board’s decision.
“This is a policy that our membership voted to support last year and we’ve done extensive work to advocate on behalf of students, staff and administrators,” stated PTSA members. “Unfortunately, the District shared a proposed Memorandum of Understanding that contradicted our advocacy and the engagement with our community.”
Some advocates claim that public trust in the Board has eroded, especially among residents who feel their voices were sidelined. One frequently heard criticism is that the Board failed to act on community requests after inviting feedback, leaving many to question whether it truly represents local priorities.
A Black parent, speaking anonymously, captured that tension, voicing support for school safety while expressing concern that the Board’s decision overlooks how policing might uniquely impact Black students.
“This is hard to define,” said the parent. “On one hand, with all the violence that has occurred over the past several years in and around our schools, I understand the need. But as a Black parent who has to have that talk with their children on how to handle themselves around law enforcement, I am torn and concerned about the possibility of disproportionate profiling and possible abuse of power.”
Supporters of the proposal argue that placing a well-trained officer on campus would foster stronger relationships with students and enhance safety. Opponents believe a police presence could escalate tensions and increase anxiety for many students, particularly those from historically marginalized communities. Others advocate for external security measures to deter violence without placing officers inside school buildings.
Tensions around the issue escalated following a 2024 shooting that occurred in the parking lot outside Garfield’s Quincy Jones Performing Arts Center. The victim, 17-year-old Amarr Murphy, died later that day at Harborview Medical Center. In the aftermath, his father, Arron Murphy-Paine, became an outspoken advocate for police presence in schools—under specific conditions.
“It’s weird for me because — and I’ll be real with you — I’m for having police in the building but it depends on who they’re putting in the building,” said Murphy-Paine. “I’ve seen how the MOU and the decision-makers do not provide the community much transparency as far as who will be in the building, and what their role will be. I want to make sure that the right person is doing that job.”
One longtime leader in the field of education, speaking anonymously, said any police presence in public schools must prioritize relationship-building with students over anything else.
“What I saw from my standpoint was people politicizing this decision, and they’re not going to be there day in and day out working with the students and their families,” said the source. “And that politicization should not have been part of the discussion or the decision.”
The anonymous parent voiced similar concerns, arguing that the mental and emotional well-being of students must be central to any conversation about safety.
“I just don’t think they have thought this all the way through,” the parent said. “Yes, safety should be the main priority in this debate, but that safety should include the mental and physical well-being of our Black and Brown students who may have trust issues with the police.
“There is a real mental PTSD with the Black community when it comes to policing,” the parent added. “And this needs to be taken seriously and into account.”
The education leader also pointed to a broader breakdown in accountability between the Board and the community it serves.
“[The community] asked for something, and they came to the board to ask for it, and then watched that not go forward,” said the source. “You put all these layers in place, you partnered with the city, you brought Community Passageways … and then you say you trust them, but then you turn around and say no.”
“[The School Board and the district] told Dr. Hart (Garfield High School Principal) that they trusted him to run the building, and asked him to complete a number of tasks associated with the MOU, and after he completed all the tasks, they still told him no,” the source added. “I can see why people think this doesn’t look or feel right, because at the end of the day, it appears that they did what they wanted to do instead of what the people wanted or asked them to do.”
Despite the Board’s decision, Murphy-Paine said he remains committed to honoring his son’s legacy by advocating for safer schools.
“Amarr’s life was lost to save other ones,” said Murphy-Paine. “So, if you’re going to use Amarr’s name and his story, just know that you also have the same commitment to save a life. We can’t save him … but we can save his legacy. As long as I can breathe, as long as his family will be breathing, we are here to save lives. The thing about this whole safety thing is a full circle.”
