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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Youth Leader from Sisters and Brothers United and the Urban Youth Collaborative
7:14:09
·
148 sec
A high school student and youth leader, testifies about his experiences with school policing and advocates for redirecting funds from school police to support services. He shares personal encounters with aggressive policing in schools and argues for changes in budget allocation to improve the educational environment.
- Describes being wrongly accused of having a gun and interrogated by school police
- Criticizes the presence of metal detectors and school police, which create a oppressive atmosphere
- Calls for redirecting approximately $100 million from unfilled police positions to restorative justice, mental health support, and other student services
High School Student
7:14:09
My name is Josh Melendez and I live in The Bronx.
7:14:12
I'm in eleventh grade.
7:14:13
I'm a youth leader at Sisters and Brothers United and the Urban Youth Collaborative and I've been advocating for the school system to invest into social and emotional support of that of young people since I was 12.
7:14:27
It has been five years since I've last testified before this council and I've honestly felt like I've been repeating myself.
7:14:33
Not much has changed since not much not much has changed and it feels like it needs to grow more and more.
7:14:40
When I was younger, I was accused of having a gun in my bag and they pulled me to the side.
7:14:46
Yeah.
7:14:46
They pulled me to the side for hours.
7:14:48
I was surrounded by school cops who interrogated me and said that I was in the wrong even though I told them I had nothing on me and all they had to do was check my bag.
7:14:58
I had to they did an investigation on me and they found I have nothing on me.
7:15:03
They kept me out of class for hours and after that they continued to talk behind my back and I felt like a horrible student.
7:15:10
Always made me feel like I was suspicious that any moment I could be accused of anything.
7:15:16
I am in high school now and I'm still feeling the same oppression that I felt years ago.
7:15:20
There is no reason that I should walk into a school, a safe haven, and see a school cops and metal detectors that don't work.
7:15:27
We often get scanned with hand hand wads and if you are late expect to wait even longer, maybe in up to thirty minutes.
7:15:35
It feels horrible and on top of that to hear the school cops talk behind my back diminishing us, while we are not able to say anything back because they can abuse their power with no accountability.
7:15:46
At this point, all I want is a funding from our school to be put into the education system.
7:15:51
It is sad to see my teachers having to struggle and put in their own money to buy supplies that should just be given to them.
7:15:57
Instead that should be given to them because of potential budget cuts.
7:16:03
This budget should not be balanced on the backs of students and teachers.
7:16:07
I am here with my peers to ask the council to pass a budget that one, stops hiring police officers and don't refill any positions that become empty.
7:16:16
Number two, eliminate funding for the 675 police positions that are currently unfilled.
7:16:23
And number three, redirect any money that is around $100,000,000 and invest it into restorative justice, mental health support, and other staff and services that may help students learn and thrive.
7:16:36
Thank you.