Parents address LAUSD school board after recent student death, demand change

Parents are demanding changes from the Los Angeles Unified School District, saying they have been concerned about school safety for years.

Now, last week's death of 17-year-old Xavier Nungaray at a Highland Park high school has reignited concern and stirred up anger.

At Wednesday's school board meeting, parents and community members called on the board to make tough decisions about bullying and discipline.

Xavier's aunt attended the meeting after her nephew fell to his death from the fourth floor at Benjamin Franklin High School. His family has said he was bullied and afraid to speak up.

"We're asking for safety back in the schools," parent Augie Barajas said. He said his son was also bullied at Benjamin Franklin High School.

"He hung himself, and somebody found him and cut the rope and brought him back to life," Barajas said, noting that his heart breaks to see bullying persist at that school.

"It's an epidemic that needs to stop." That's why he, and others like Oleada founder, Maria Luisa Palma, believe the district needs to take action.

"Will you bring back school police as a start?" Palma asked the board. "We know that's not the only thing. Why can't we have both school police and mental health support?"

Her nonprofit promotes parent involvement in schools. She says it's time that LAUSD board members make tough decisions about safety and discipline.

"They need to reprioritize. They tell us, 'Well, we don't have enough police officers on staff' -- no, because they fired them."

California Rising founder and director, Raul Claros, agrees. "We think that the police being there will be a deterrent to most of these youngsters making bad decisions," he said.

For these parents, Xavier's death has brought years of frustration to the surface. They say they don't want more promises; they want action before another family has to mourn the loss of a child.

"We just hope that going forward, there will be a change and you will recognize that mistakes were made," Palma said.

LAUSD was asked if it is considering having school police on campus and said in part:

"School safety is a shared responsibility, and we continue to work with school leaders, staff, families, and our law enforcement partners to ensure campuses are safe and supportive places for students to learn."

In 2021, the LAUSD school board voted to cut funding to the L.A. School Police Department.