Police halt high five program in Northampton schools following negative response by parents

[SecularMotion]

A program designed to engage young students and members of the Northampton Police Department in a positive way lasted barely a month in city schools before parent complaints resulted in it being put on hold.

Begun in December, the High Five Friday program saw on-duty police alternate visiting the city's four elementary schools every week to high five students at the start of the school day. Police mostly congregated outside the buildings but entered on occasion as well.

"We probably had 12 to 15 negative responses" to the program among parents, Northampton Public Schools Superintendent John Provost said in a MassLive interview.

"There were also a number of positive responses that exceeded the 12 to 15 negative ones," he added.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/02/northampton_public_schools_put.html