Beefed up security alters feel on campus
MID CITY — Local school officials have laid out a plan to ensure Santa Monica High School is a better, safer place to learn after a schoolyard brawl caused the campus to go on lockdown three weeks ago.
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District staff is expected to present a 12-page report at tonight’s school board meeting indicating the steps the district will continue to take in order to address the April 15 fights. Beefed up security, better dialogue between students and staff, and more ethnically-and culturally-diverse teachers and classroom program-ming are among the key points the report addresses for Samohi.
Meanwhile, some school officials say a 10-point “Unity” plan being promoted by school board member Oscar de la Torre and a community group calling itself the Unity Coalition — which is intended to address violence among students — mirrors steps the district is already taking to address violence in the schools.
The Unity plan, still in its drafting stage, calls for an end to institutionalized racism in the schools and a greater community presence to address tensions between youth, a plan which its creators charge have yet to be addressed by school administrators.
Samohi principal Ilene Straus said she had heard of the Unity Plan but that her staff had not seen or been invited to take part in its development.
“We welcome any community partners that wish to take part in helping the school, but any efforts to do so need to be coordinated with the school leadership in order to be effective,” Straus said.
De la Torre said the school district’s report concerning Samohi is a good start to doing what the Unity Coalition is committed to help accomplish.
“What we need to do is bring everyone together — students, parents and community members,” de la Torre said. “We need all of the stakeholders in the community to be involved.”
As school leaders continue to try and ensure that fights are prevented in the future, some Samohi students said they are feeling better and safer on campus.
“I think it’s retarded there was a fight,” said Michelle Torres, a Samohi junior. “I heard it all started over a water bottle, but I think some students just want to start drama. There are economic issues, sure, but that doesn’t give them (the fighters) the right to take their anger out on others.”
SECURITY BEEFED UP Twelve students were suspended for their involvement in the fights and returned to school Monday, April 23. Six students were suspended for fighting, and six more for defiance, many of whom refused to return to class following the brawl. All of the students suspended for their involvement in the fights are taking part in an ongoing mediation process, school officials said.
Samohi has 3,500 students, 200 staff and six full-time security guards charged with protecting the 33-acre campus. In addition, there is a police resource officer from the Santa Monica Police Department assigned to Samohi and other schools within the district.
Since the fights, there has been a continued police presence at Samohi which administrators hope to phase out in coming weeks. Starting with six SMPD officers on campus the week following the incident, Samohi now has two police officers who have been on hand during the lunch period, Straus said.
Because security is spread thin on campus, district officials said it will be hiring two more Samohi full-time security guards.
Since April 20, all students at Samohi have been required to show their student identification card to enter campus, and campus entry and exit points have been reduced. Only students and parents of students are allowed to be on campus. Any other guests to the campus must be cleared by the Samohi administration.
“Some students say that now they’re I.D.-ing us, they feel like they’re just a number,” said Matthew Salazar, a Samohi freshman. “I think it’s good, so no one is here who shouldn’t be.”
In addition, school officials are continuing to meet with the SMPD to solidify the school’s emergency procedures should further lockdowns be needed in the future.
DIALOGUE Since the fights, Samohi administration and staff have held regular meetings with 20 student leaders. Together they are coming up with ideas that might better unite groups on campus and make everyone feel more comfortable.
Among the ideas, students suggested Samohi have a “peace” rally to replace its next pep rally.
“It’s really been a wonderful experience, having these meetings with our students,” Straus said. “The students have great ideas. They have so much to say, and it’s neat to see them open up. This has been some of my favorite work.”
The Samohi Black Student Union, a Samohi group of black students, and Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano(a) de Atzlan, a Samohi group of Latino students, have met twice since the fights to craft their response.
Both blacks and Latinos were largely involved in the fighting, and the student leaders who run the groups also have invited those suspended in the fighting to take part in the discussions.
STAFFING AND COURSES Samohi has a student body in which 47 percent is considered minority, and an administration and staff which is largely white.
In their report, district officials said it will make efforts to hire more ethnically-and culturally-diverse educators. Straus said student groups also will facilitate in the hiring process, providing the school principal, who makes the final hiring decisions, with their suggestions as to which candidates might make the best fit.
In terms of curriculum, Samohi staff is adding a cultural studies and human relations component to its freshman seminar, a required course. In addition, Samohi’s sophomore world history class will offer a component with a broader ethnic perspective.
Curriculum development for the courses is planned for May and July and will become available for students in the fall of 2005.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 5, 2005. Read the original PDF.