(Abolitionist) Care, Not Cops: How Police Free School Organizers Redefine Safety as Care

Demands led by the Movement for Black Lives in the United States to defund the police in 2020 spurred a critical reassessment of anti-Blackness and police violence, particularly in schools. This study examines the perspectives of youth and community organizers who engaged in Police-Free Schools Campaigns across Los Angeles County, focusing on their redefinitions of safety and alternatives to policing. Through semi-structured interviews, this study highlights the interconnectedness of safety and care, revealing that participants advocate for community accountability, relationship building, and resource allocation as essential for a safe environment. Rejecting traditional punitive approaches, organizers emphasize safety rooted in abolitionist care, prioritizing emotional support and communal responsibility as key facets in creating safe schools. This redefinition challenges existing notions of safety, advocating for investment in supportive structures and divestment from policing within schools. By redefining safety in terms of abolitionist care, participants in this study seek to foster life-affirming schools and communities.