People are speaking out against the use of shock gloves at OPS schools

When Omaha Public Schools starts next week, school resource officers will walk into middle and high schools with shock gloves. Now parents and students are speaking out.

Read the full article on KETV 7

Parents, students speak out against shock gloves in Omaha Public Schools schools

OMAHA, Neb. —

When Omaha Public Schools starts next week, school resource officers will walk into middle and high schools with shock gloves.

On Monday, 29 night, parents, students and concerned citizens spoke out against the use of shock gloves in OPS schools at the OPS Board of Education Meeting.

The Omaha Police Department announced last week that SROs would have shock gloves in metro area middle and high schools.

Everyone who spoke at the board of education meeting Monday night said the same thing: they are against the use of shock gloves in OPS.

“It should be in the hands of the students and the parents of what they want to see. Even the manufacturers of the gloves say they should not be used on at-risk populations such as children or people with disabilities, both of which attend our school,” Central High School student Lillin Jones said.

Most people at the school board meeting said they had no idea that the shock gloves could be entering OPS schools this week.

“Why are we finding out a week before our 17-year-old is starting senior year? Why are we finding out that this was used twice last year?” OPS parent Benjamin Pratt said.

Pratt’s wife, Thalia, said she found out about this from a KETV Facebook post, not from OPS.

A lot of people brought big concerns for students with mental and physical disabilities.

“I don’t think it’s fair because just because someone’s having an outburst, because they’re in an overstimulated situation, doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily dangerous,” Central High School student Lux Tipton said.

Some school board members agreed that changes need to be made.

“As a parent of OPS, and a member of the board with my own opinion, I do not support the use of any use of force or pain compliance with our students, including pepper spray, tasers and electric shock gloves,” OPS School Board member Gini Magnuson said.

The OPS School Board reiterated that they had no knowledge about the shock gloves before last week. OPS Superintendent Matthew Ray said the board didn’t know because he didn’t know.