MARYSVILLE, Ohio — After Tuesday, the Marysville school district will no longer have school resource officers in their school buildings.
Right now, the city pays for half of the school resource officers and the district pays the other half. But after the levy failed, the district said they can’t pay their half anymore.
Crystal Dille has two children in the district. She said she’s concerned about the change.
“What is it going to look like sending our kids to school without officers? It’s definitely going to be in the forefront of my brain now,” said Dille.
Dille said safety is her number one priority for her children.
“I feel like it's disappointing that this is something that could ever be taken away,” she said.
Holly Catlin also has kids in the district.
“It’s a sad reality. This is what it has come to. I also understand that it's necessary though if the money is not there,” said Catlin.
Catlin said she knows her child has really bonded with their school resource officer.
“I can tell that for at least my kindergartener, they definitely have a relationship with the officer. They know who he is, they talk to him. There’s a really positive relationship with an authority figure other than a teacher, which is also something valuable that we’re losing,” she said.
Both parents said they think something can be done to keep the officers in the schools.
“I really hope they come up with a solution to bring the school resource officers back when they can,” said Dille. “[It would be] a good faith move on the part of our leaders to find a solution to this,” said Catlin.
The failed levy will also include staff cuts for next year and the district increasing the pay-to-play fees for sports and extracurricular activities.