CALIFORNIA— LAUSD is considering the possibility of defunding or limiting school police after several proposals have come forward.
On Tuesday, June 23 several activists, students, and parents protested outside Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters calling for the defunding of the school police department. Now, the Board of Education is considering a variety of these proposals.
The resolution could see Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner to cut the school police department’s budget by half in the upcoming year, three-quarters the following year, and eventually cutting it by 90% by the 2023-2024 school year. The money, which totals up to about $70 million, would go to “the highest-need schools in support of African American students.”
This proposal was made by board member Monica Garcia, which is one of three motions up for discussion. The other two proposals each call for a panel to study policing on campus.
Activists in support of defunding school police are calling for increased mental health services, school nurses, and other support for students instead of police.
LAUSD police, who are not part of the Los Angeles Police Department, responded to a reported 100,000 calls or more along last year, which included calls pertaining to threats of mass shootings and bombs at schools, as well as robberies, sexual assaults, burglaries, and other serious crimes.
Beutner said he recommends the elimination of pepper spray and the use of carotid holds, or neck holds to control someone. No decision on which path LAUSD will take has been disclosed.
