Dive Brief:

• Tuscon-area schools are delaying a school police program after critics of the program raised concerns about how Arizona's SB1070, which requires officers to ask about immigration status, will play out in a school environment.    
• Critics of the partnership with the Tuscon Police Department say it will cause anxiety and stress in schools, and are asking that the wording of the contract be changed so that police officers can only asking about immigration status if it is pertinent to a student's specific offense.  
• With the help of a state grant, nine officers are slated to be placed at seven high schools and two middle schools in order to keep students out of trouble while also providing 180 hours of "law-related education."

Dive Insight:

Councilwoman Regina Romero wanted to see a clause added that prohibits police officers from asking students about about their immigration status. Unfortunately, this easy solution is not possible, since it would force police officers to break the state's 2010 law.  

The current goal of City Council is to revise the school-specific rule so questioning can only occur if/when an offense relates directly to immigration. Critics believe the law can be bent slightly for schools since other parts of the law, like requiring immigrants to carry documentation, are already not heavily enforced.