Ohio Schools Just Started Passing Out These Disturbing Police State ‘Guides’ For Students
“If you are stopped on the street, answer all questions pertaining to your identity…” that’s what Ohio schools are now telling students. Rather than informing them of their rights, schools are doubling down on police assumptions of power, and telling kids to shut their mouths and comply with more or less whatever police tell them… whether it’s legally required of them or not.
Last week, each and every middle and high school student in Akron, Ohio, received glossy, two-sided card that purported to be the result of collaboration between an anti-violence youth group and the city’s police department. But to read the card, it sounds more like it was written by police alone. The message is clear: “do whatever we tell you and we will not kill you.”
The only problem is that this “You and the Law” card starts with the assumption that the student has violated the law in some way. If they have not, they have no reason to answer any police questions, including regarding their identity.
Some of the statements on the card are also of dubious credibility. “If the officer believes a crime has been committed, your car can be searched without a court-issued warrant.”
That’s not exactly correct. If the officer has “probable cause” to believe a crime has been committed, that is another story. But simply “believing” that a crime has been committed does not give a police officer the right to search your car without consent to a search or a warrant. The card never tells students that they can say “I refuse to consent to a search” nor that they have the right to ask “Am I being detained?” and “Am I free to go?”
Why not?
Informing them of their rights is simply not on the radar for the “collaborative” effort of the police department. They are not, for instance, informed about their right to leave a police interaction if they are not being formally detained. Instead, they are told to just do whatever the officer says, whether they are required to or not. The police couldn’t have planned it any better. And now, the schools are in on the police state propaganda, forcing students to swallow this line of propaganda, with no choice for families to opt their children out.
The group that worked with the local police department to produce the propaganda pieces are called the Akron PeaceMakers. Member Devin Clark said that they raised $1,500 to print 50,000 of the cards.
“When they get put in the situation, they’re going to look back at that card and be like, ‘Wow. You know, that helped when I actually read that.’ It’ll put them in a better position,” Clark explained.
Student Rachel Cooke received one of the cards. She was disappointed that the onus is put on the student. She explained that it’s important that the cards recognize that police officers can, and in many cases actually are. the transgressors.
“I’m not saying that all cops are bad, but there are cops that are drunk on their power, I would say. So I think that it holds them responsible so they can stay in line,” Cooke explained. “They have to obey the law just like we do.”
(Article by M. David)
“If you are stopped on the street, answer all questions pertaining to your identity…” that’s what Ohio schools are now telling students. Rather than informing them of their rights, schools are doubling down on police assumptions of power, and telling kids to shut their mouths and comply with more or less whatever police tell them… whether it’s legally required of them or not.
Last week, each and every middle and high school student in Akron, Ohio, received glossy, two-sided card that purported to be the result of collaboration between an anti-violence youth group and the city’s police department. But to read the card, it sounds more like it was written by police alone. The message is clear: “do whatever we tell you and we will not kill you.”
The only problem is that this “You and the Law” card starts with the assumption that the student has violated the law in some way. If they have not, they have no reason to answer any police questions, including regarding their identity.
Some of the statements on the card are also of dubious credibility. “If the officer believes a crime has been committed, your car can be searched without a court-issued warrant.”
That’s not exactly correct. If the officer has “probable cause” to believe a crime has been committed, that is another story. But simply “believing” that a crime has been committed does not give a police officer the right to search your car without consent to a search or a warrant. The card never tells students that they can say “I refuse to consent to a search” nor that they have the right to ask “Am I being detained?” and “Am I free to go?”
Why not?
Informing them of their rights is simply not on the radar for the “collaborative” effort of the police department. They are not, for instance, informed about their right to leave a police interaction if they are not being formally detained. Instead, they are told to just do whatever the officer says, whether they are required to or not. The police couldn’t have planned it any better. And now, the schools are in on the police state propaganda, forcing students to swallow this line of propaganda, with no choice for families to opt their children out.
The group that worked with the local police department to produce the propaganda pieces are called the Akron PeaceMakers. Member Devin Clark said that they raised $1,500 to print 50,000 of the cards.
“When they get put in the situation, they’re going to look back at that card and be like, ‘Wow. You know, that helped when I actually read that.’ It’ll put them in a better position,” Clark explained.
Student Rachel Cooke received one of the cards. She was disappointed that the onus is put on the student. She explained that it’s important that the cards recognize that police officers can, and in many cases actually are. the transgressors.
“I’m not saying that all cops are bad, but there are cops that are drunk on their power, I would say. So I think that it holds them responsible so they can stay in line,” Cooke explained. “They have to obey the law just like we do.”
(Article by M. David)
