LAUSD parents start petition to bring police back to campuses
LOS ANGELES - It was not considered a credible threat by authorities, but a social media post and a threat against Carson High scribbled on a bathroom wall were enough for some parents to keep their kids at home, adding to the growing chorus of police returning to campuses.
A safety task force study by the LAUSD Board of Education is suggesting individual campuses should be able to decide if there should be officers in their individual schools.
Police were largely taken off campuses in response to activists' demands that added LAUSD officers to their calls to defund the police during Black Lives Matter protests that exploded after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
The board study found that since officers were removed from campus, violent incidents have just about doubled. From the recent shooting death of a 15-year-old Washington Prep student during an after-school confrontation outside campus, to a middle schooler caught with weapons in Northridge this week, to fatal fentanyl overdoses, fights, and physical aggression.
"I wish they would have left the police on the campuses of the high schools," said one parent.
Parent groups are planning to present petitions asking for the return of officers at the school board meeting Tuesday, where the task force will present its findings and make recommendations.
The school board is not necessarily making a decision tomorrow, but LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho tells FOX 11 that they are developing a safety plan, taking the input from parents.
SUGGESTED:
- Brutal fight at Crenshaw High School caught on camera; mom says she wasn't notified
- 3 separate shootings reported near LA schools; 2 teens killed
- Inappropriate photos circulating at Fairfax High School prompts LAUSD investigation
While many of those we spoke to say they'd like to see more police presence in schools, not all parents like the idea.
Pointing to a huge response to what seemed to be a student fight after school at Carson today, one father said "you see? They can respond quickly if they have to."
LAUSD said the after-school fight today had nothing to do with the threat they were monitoring.
"The safety and well-being of our students and staff remains my top priority. Early yesterday, a staff member discovered a message written on a wall in one of our restroom stalls that threatened the safety of our campus. School Police’s preliminary investigative information from law enforcement suggests that the threat is not credible, and the school remains safe," an LAUSD spokesperson said about the threat in Carson.
The petition can be viewed on Change.org.