A win for collective advocacy, but the work to protect students is not over

On Monday, Voices for Children in Nebraska, Education Rights Counsel, and ACLU Nebraska joined community members, parents, educators, advocates, and others who spoke up about the use of electrified gloves in Nebraska schools. Our collective voice was heard. Those who raised concerns, shared their experiences, contacted decision-makers, and demanded better for Nebraska students helped make clear that these devices have no place in our schools.

By Tuesday evening, Omaha Police stated their SROs in Omaha Public Schools buildings would no longer carry shock gloves in response to a request from the district. We want to thank the Omaha Education Association for standing up for students. We are also grateful to Superintendent Matt Ray and OPS board members for their immediate response to get these gloves out of schools and for their understanding that children should not be subjected to electric shocks as a tool for school discipline, as a penalty for disapproved behavior, or behavior management. In addition, we thank Mayor John Ewing for honoring the district’s request.

This was an important step forward. Still, the work to protect students does not end here. These gloves are still in other Omaha-area districts as well as the two OPS schools with SROs provided by Bellevue Police — Bryan High and Bryan Middle. Families and students should continue speaking out.

The presence of SROs in schools should never turn a school into an extension of the criminal or juvenile justice system. Every child deserves to learn in an environment rooted in safety, dignity, support, and belonging. School districts should have clear agreements with law enforcement that require de-escalation and trauma-informed approaches and prohibit corporal punishment and pain compliance in school buildings, including the use of traditional Tasers.

Beyond advocacy at the district level, we also urge the Nebraska Legislature and other leaders to ensure that we have clear laws and policies defining when law enforcement intervention is appropriate, when a situation should instead be handled by school staff or behavioral health professionals, and what use-of-force tools are ever appropriate to be used if deemed absolutely necessary.

Thank you to everyone who spoke up, listened, and acted. When we stand together, we can make schools safer and more humane for every young person in Nebraska.