Calls grow for immediate action as schools face escalating break-ins and thefts.
The Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable is pressuring the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to act decisively against a surge in vandalism and theft that has heavily affected schools serving predominantly Black and Hispanic students.
The advocacy group is calling for the creation of an emergency “anti-school vandalism task force” to address these crimes, which they say threaten the safety and resources of vulnerable school communities.
“The task force has to be started right now,” said Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the LA Urban Policy Roundtable. “We’ve had a situation with schools that has been ongoing, the vandalism and the thievery. So if it’s happening right now, why wait?”
Recent incidents highlight the growing issue, including a break-in earlier this week at Wadsworth Elementary School, where classrooms were ransacked.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho responded to the incident, emphasizing the district’s commitment to addressing the crimes. “The district takes these cases seriously,” he said, adding that an investigation into the Wadsworth Elementary break-in is already underway.
The LA Urban Policy Roundtable insists that the proposed task force is a necessary step to ensure swift and focused action against these disruptions to students’ education.
