> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Bad behavior: School board checking itself - URL: https://www.smdp.com/bad-behavior-school-board-checking-itself/ - Published: 2005-08-05T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T07:32:58.000Z - Author: Ryan Hyatt - Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import *Boardpencilsinideasforconduct* SMMUSD HDQTRS — School district officials are re-evaluating their behavior in the aftermath of a board member bringing former gang members onto a local high school campus to tell struggling students why crime doesn’t pay. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District governing board members reviewed a staff report last week which details proposed updates to the rules by which they are expected to conduct themselves as elected officials. The report comes in light of criticism by some toward school board member Oscar de la Torre, who, in the week following an April brawl at Santa Monica High School, brought two former gang members on campus to share their experiences and urge students to pursue a violence-free lifestyle. No action was taken on the staff report during the Thursday, July 28 meeting, said John Deasy, SMMUSD superintendent. The school board requested the staff report be brought back in coming weeks for further discussion and possible action. Deasy did not say whether proposed campus visits involving former gang members would be allowed within Santa Monica schools as a result of the updates. Instead, he said presentations would be looked at on a “case by case” basis, and the procedures to permit such are “clearly outlined” in the new policy. Deasy deferred all questions regarding proposed rules and their ramifications to the school board. President Emily Bloomfield, who was out of town, and vice president Julia Brownley were not available for comment. Board member de la Torre said he intends to bring former gang members onto Santa Monica school campuses in the future, while abiding by the procedure to do so. He said doing so is following the board’s primary goal of furthering educational opportunities for students, while referring to the effectiveness of similar programs the district offers. “We have a practice in our district of having ex-drug addicts talk to kids about the dangers of drug addiction,” de la Torre said. “This is a sound practice.” “If we are going to have young people learn about bias and bigotry, it would be smart to have a former KKK member on campus to talk about those dangers,” he reasoned. “Likewise, if we have a problem of gang violence on campus, it would probably be smart to invite guest speakers who can share their stores about the dangers and misery violence causes.” De la Torre said the former gang members, whose legitimacy the Santa Monica police questioned, work as mediators for Pico Youth & Family Services and that the value they can bring the community is misunderstood by some. “Anyone who can share real life stories of dysfunctional behavior — who is no longer involved in that destructive behavior — I think they have a legitimate voice,” de la Torre said. “I am less concerned about the individual that talks openly about their mistakes and the past, versus school employees or invited guest speakers who have bad intentions for our students and have no history of criminal conduct.” The 23-page SMMUSD staff report asks the board to replace seven of ten policies, some of which have not been updated since the 70s. Three other policies require revision, according to the report. The proposed updates are intended to better comply with the California School Board Association and better reflect current laws and educational concerns, according to the staff report. The policies aim to define and specify a wide-range of appropriate governing board member behavior as its relates to furthering the cause of public education, dealing with fellow board members, school staff and the media. At least six fights broke out at Samohi during the lunch hour on Friday, April 15, requiring a school-wide lockdown in which three police departments were called to the scene to secure the campus. Between 30 and 40 students stopped fighting, but wouldn’t return to class until police threatened to make arrests, school officials said. While about two dozen concerned students and parents attended the following school board meeting on April 21, and demanded an action plan from school officials as a result of the lockdown, Police Chief James Butts, Jr. demanded to know what school administrators intend to do about de la Torre’s visit. An officers’ report stated that de la Torre and his guests walked through the quad area as students were getting out for lunch. A Samohi administrator informed assistant principal Greg Runyon that some black students were upset over de la Torre’s two guests, who appeared to be Latino gang members, according to SMPD officers on campus. Rumors were spreading about weapons being on campus and assaults expected to take place during the school day, according to the officers’ report detailing events. According to the report, 25 black students were standing in a group watching de la Torre and his guests. Some of the students were visibly upset and said they were “going to call their people, too.” Runyon approached the officers, and together they attempted to speak with de la Torre, who ignored their calls for him, according to the officer’s report. Police confronted de la Torre, who according to the officers’ report, said he had granted permission himself for his guests to be on campus. Runyon responded by saying that it was only allowable for de la Torre to be on campus, not his guests, according to the report. De la Torre continued to ignore the police, even after an officer warned his presence was going to start a riot. De la Torre agreed to leave only after police threatened his arrest, according to the report. In a letter to the school board, Butts requested its members to explain its policies regarding non-student gang members being allowed on campus. De la Torre has contended the individuals he brought to campus were there to deter students from considering a life of gang activity and crime. He said any other suggestions by the police could be grounds for a lawsuit. Deasy said it’s typical procedure for school board members to notify administrators when they come to campus. In light of the miscommunication regarding the incident, the board’s proposed policy update states, “visits during regular school hours should be first arranged with the teacher and principal or designees.” De la Torre said he and his guests checked in when they arrived at Samohi, and that was how police were able to identify his two guests. De la Torre said he didn’t communicate with senior Samohi administrators to inform them of his intentions because he said he didn’t realize he needed to. He said when he came to school for a previous student leadership discussion that Samohi administrators said they were glad he dropped by. He expected the same treatment the day the incident occurred with his guests. De la Torre said he also was unaware of rumors of there being weapons and an assault expected on campus during his visit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/080505-01_01.jpg) Dancers, singers and musicians will entertain during the 29th annual festival of chariots on Sunday. (Photo: Fabian Lewkowicz/Daily Press) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 5, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080505.pdf?ref=smdp.com)