Barrow County Board of Education stands firm on SRO program amid funding dispute

Barrow County's battle over SROs

The Barrow County Board of Education has vowed to maintain its school resource officer (SRO) program despite a proposed funding change from the county government that could significantly alter how the officers are paid for.

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - The Barrow County Board of Education has vowed to maintain its school resource officer (SRO) program despite a proposed funding change from the county government that could significantly alter how the officers are paid for.

What they're saying:

At a meeting Tuesday night, board members responded forcefully to a May 25 letter from the Barrow County Board of Commissioners proposing to fund only 12 of the 24 SRO positions currently deployed across the school system. The shift would mark a departure from a 50-50 cost-sharing agreement established in 2017 when the program had only 12 officers.

"The answer from the Board of Education is a clear and definitive no," said Board Chair Lisa Maloof. "We want to make it very clear that we are fully committed to maintaining our SRO program."

The Board of Education said the change could cost the school system more than $800,000 and has raised alarms among parents and students.

"When we get a letter like that and we publish our meeting, the community gets concerned," LeDuff said. "What does this mean for our SRO program?"

Will Waites, a recent graduate Winder-Barrow High School, credits his school’s SRO for helping him and fellow classmates navigate the trauma of the September 4th shooting at Apalachee High School. "They’re always out there talking to students, helping them get along, and supporting them throughout the way, especially after Apalachee," he said. 

The other side:

Critics of the county’s proposal say the timing is particularly troubling, coming less than a year after a deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in which two teachers and two students were killed.

Dina Valladares, whose daughter survived the shooting, questioned the reasoning behind the change. "Why are you pulling out of this now? Why?" she asked. "She’s doing better, but it’s making her a little nervous, this situation with the SROs."

Layla Renee-Contreras, a student activist with Change for Chee, said her family was also on campus that day. "Outrage. Clearly our SRO program has proven to save lives," she said. "They did that day."

FOX 5 asked Barrow County officials to weigh in on the letter and proposal. A county spokesman replied with the statement below:

"The Barrow County Board of Commissioners has always included the SRO positions in the proposed FY 2026 budget for the county. According to the most recent available audit on the Carl Vinson Institute of Government website, the Barrow County Board of Education had a surplus of $13.6 million in 2023, which would more than adequately cover the direct and indirect expenses incurred from the SRO program during the school year. (Figures for 2024 have not been posted.) As previously stated, due to the senior school tax exemption voted into law by the citizens of Barrow County, the Board of Commissioners has a duty to ensure that seniors paying their county taxes do not have those hard-earned dollars circumvented to cover costs incurred by the Board of Education. We have faith the Board of Education will provide a safe and secure school environment for the students of Barrow County with the efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars."

 When pressed about why the Commissioners are requesting a return to the letter of the original proposal, Superintendent LeDuff said, "the county’s justification is that senior citizens should not pay county taxes that ultimately serve the schools." 

LeDuff also raised the concern that the Commission will eventually seek to pull funding for all SROs in the county. 

What's next:

The commissioners will meet next week to discuss the proposal. 

In the meantime, the board voted to tentatively raise the millage rate pending the county's final decision.

"We need to be showing up to these meetings," said Renee-Contreras. "We need to be finding out and figuring out where is our money going?"

Despite the uncertainty, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to recruit and hire school resource officers.

SEE ALSO:

• Apalachee High School graduates remember victims during ceremony
• Apalachee High shooting: Judge rules on Colin Gray venue change request
• Apalachee HS hosts 'Barrow Together' event thanking community for support after shooting
• Possible plea hearing date planned in Apalachee HS shooter Colt Gray's case
• Georgia school safety bill signed into law after deadly Apalachee High School shooting