LANCASTER — Antelope Valley Union High School District will use school resource deputies for summer school and the 2022-23 school year despite protests from members of the public who urged the Board to reject the proposed contract.
Sarah Lucero, a legal intern with Disability Rights California and a student at Loyola Law School, cited a report released, last month, by the Office of Inspector General. The report corroborated a ProPublica analysis regarding racial disparities in Lancaster.
“The report found that Black students accounted for 67% of police contacts in the District, while making up only 17% of the District’s total population,” Lucero said. “Moreover, Black students were more likely to experience harsher punishments resulting of these contacts.”
Lucero added students with disabilities are three times more likely to be referred to police in comparison to non-disabled peers.
“Schools should be a place designed for safety and learning for students to grow,” she said. “But instead, this report details an environment much more punitive than protective.”
Instead of contracting with the Sheriff’s Department, Lucero recommended the District adopt the Office for Civil Rights recommended strategies such as de-escalation, removing distractions, and providing time and space to calm the situation.”
Speaker Elvira Velazquez, legal support staff with Disability Rights California, urged the Board to redirect funds for the sheriff’s contract to programs and resources that will help youth thrive and reduce justice system involvement.
Velasquez also cited the Office of Inspector General. She urged the Board to read the report and work with them to improve campus environments for students.
Andrew Marmor, a law student the University of California, Berkeley, also talked the Office of Inspector General report.
“It’s the District’s responsibility to ensure that its students do not experience discrimination at school,” Marmor said.
Xinyang Feng, a law student at Pepperdine University, also cited the Inspector General report. She urged the Board to reject the proposed contract with the Sheriff’s Department.
Hal Steinberg, of Cancel the Contract Antelope Valley, noted the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution calling for more oversight of county school districts in building contracts with the sheriff’s department.
“It was deeply disturbing to find out the city decided to do a roundabout way of going through this when, on the agenda today, you have a contract with the City of Lancaster to provide deputies for summer school,” Steinberg said.
The Board voted 4-1, at the Wednesday meeting, to approve the approximately $1.92 million contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Board member Victoria Ruffin voted no.
Ruffin questioned the shift in times for school resource deputies in the contract, a possible reference to the later start times for all schools in the state beginning with the 2022-23 school year.
“The other thing is half of our schools are in the City of Lancaster (and) the other half of our high schools are in the City of Palmdale, “ Ruffin said. “There is no thought how to merge the two communities even if there was an agreement to have law enforcement.”
Assistant Superintendent Brett Neal said the District will work with the Sheriff’s Department to adjust the schedule to accommodate the later start time.
“In addition, over the years we’ve had numerous conversations with the Palmdale station, and they have no conflict with our contract with the sheriff’s department,” Neal said.
The Board approved a memorandum of agreement with the City of Lancaster to contract for school resource deputies for four school sites through the city’s contract with the department. The Board voted 4-1, with Ruffin again dissenting.
(1) comment
If you are 17% of the total population..yet 67% of police contacts..then there is a culture issue. If I wanted to keep a group of people weak and dependant...I would give them free money, I would give them an advantage when taking tests, and I would tell them "they are Victims" That would insure they would never be anything more than a Parasite. They would never be a threat on a level playing field (career wise), and they would never be more than what the Govt. allowed them to be. Then I would pay "Race Baiters" (like Al Sharpton) (IMHO) to keep them down..." Keep believing people like Al Sharpton, or Jesse Jackson...and Even the BLM Scum that just ran off with mega millions that could have helped thousands of people....and "You" will "Never" be more than what the Govt. allows you to be.
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