Despite repeated requests from Florida Gov. Rick Scott, legislative leaders have officially refused to steer $58 million to school districts to help them hire more campus police officers.
Scott in late August asked that legislators shift unused money from the state’s guardian program to pay for more officers. Under the guardian program, districts are eligible to receive money to train school staff to act as armed guardians on school campuses. But most districts have opted instead to hire officers despite the expense.
After a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida became the first state to require all public schools to have armed security on site. Among the districts that say they can’t afford to hire officers is Broward County, where Stoneman Douglas is located.
