Philadelphia Student Union Calling For Police-Free Schools In City

Matt Petrillo reports.

BLOCK AND HE'S HERE VISITING HISFATHER FOR FATHER'S DAY.POLICE HAVE NOT ARRESTEDANYONE AS OF YET.AMID NATIONAL PROTESTSDEMANDING POLICE REFORM, SOMESTUDENT GROUPS AND EDUCATIONADVOCATES ACROSS THE CITY HAVEJOINED FORCES TO DEMANDPHILADELPHIA SCHOOL BOARDDECLARE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ASPOLICE-FREE ZONES.DISTRICT AND CHARTER OFFICIALSADDRESSED THOSE CONCERNS AHEADOF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING,MATT PETRILLO REPORTS.Reporter: THE PHILADELPHIASCHOOL DISTRICT MANAGES ITS OWNSECURITY FORCE, AND COME THISSCHOOL YEAR, STUDENTS WILLNOTICE SECURITY WILL HAVE NEWUNIFORMS.WE'RE WORKING ON CHANGING OURUNIFORM, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TOA MORE SOFTER, UNIFORM THAT WETHINK IS LESS THREATENING TOPARTICULARLY YOUNGER STUDENTS.SOMEONE MORE DRAMATICCHANGES.THE PHILADELPHIA STUDENT UNIONIS CALLING FOR POLICE-FREESCHOOLS.DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT DR.WILLIAM HEIGHTS SAID HE'SMEETING WITH THE UNION NEXTWEEK.KEVIN MET WITH THE STUDENTUNION THEN WE ALSO HAVE AMEETING SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK.THE BOTH OF US WITH THEM.CHARTER SCHOOLS, LIKE MASSRYTAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TOSCHOOL SAFETY.WITH SECURITY AT THE END OFTHE DAY IS OUTSIDE THE BUILDINGAT CORNERS TO MAKE SURE KIDS GETHOME SAFELY.Reporter: SCOTT GORDON IS THECEO OF MASTERY SCHOOLS AT ITSFACILITIES SECURITY STAYSOUTSIDE.ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S 21 SCHOOLSALL HAVE SOCIAL WORKERSTHERAPISTS AND MORE SAYS ITSDEPUTY CHIEF'S STUDENTDEVELOPMENTOUR JOB IS TO EDUCATE THEWHOLE CHILD.SO THAT INCLUDES ATTENDING TOTHE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS OFCHILDREN.Reporter: ALSO INPHILADELPHIA, THE SCHOOL YEAR,MAY START UP TO A WEEK LATE