Parents tell Atascadero Unified trustees repeated assaults at San Benito Elementary are a crisis, demand immediate action
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Summary
Multiple parents told the board that repeated physical assaults, poor notification practices and a shortage of qualified aides and special‑education support at San Benito Elementary have created an unsafe learning environment and asked trustees to fund immediate staffing, clearer safety protocols and timelines.
Parents and educators pressed the Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees on campus safety Monday, describing repeated student assaults at San Benito Elementary and calling on the district to provide immediate staffing and behavioral supports.
"My child has personally been physically assaulted 3 times on campus," said Katrina Bolduc, a parent, who told trustees that reported incidents were escalated to school administrators, the superintendent, police and child welfare services. Bolduc said parents and staff have documented incidents and still feel the district’s response has been inadequate.
Jen Pence Murphy, who identified herself as a teacher at Atascadero Middle School and a parent of a first grader at San Benito, said her son "has been physically harmed over 5 times this school year alone," including being punched in the face and thrown from playground equipment. She told the board: "We voted for you to take care of our children. And I speak on behalf of a lot of San Benito parents when I say you are failing."
Other speakers described similar problems. Rachel Dionne said repeated lockdowns, classroom evacuations and undisclosed incidents have affected students districtwide; Gina Planeta urged the district to improve recruitment, training and follow‑through on Individualized Education Programs, saying that aides sometimes receive only one day of shadowing before working independently.
Parents asked for several specific changes: fully funded and consistent special‑education staffing, timely access to Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), enforceable safety protocols practiced regularly rather than only written on paper, trauma‑informed responses, improved communication to families after incidents, and public timelines for implementation.
In response, the superintendent acknowledged the board had heard the comments and said district leaders "recognize the needs and the issues that we need to be able to address" and that the concerns are "extremely important to all of us." The superintendent added that the district will continue to work to improve supports for students and staff.
Trustees did not take a formal vote on specific safety measures during the meeting. Board members repeatedly thanked the parents for speaking and indicated they wanted staff to return with more information and timelines. Several trustees emphasized that staffing, training and systemic changes would require both local budgeting decisions and sustained operational work with schools.
The public comments and the superintendent’s assurances set the stage for follow‑up: parents pressed for immediate, funded steps to protect students; the board asked staff to continue work and provide more specifics to the trustees for future action.
