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Parents press board after classroom intrusion at Heritage; district outlines security steps
Summary
Parents described an Oct. 22 classroom intrusion at Heritage during public comment and criticized district communication; the superintendent and staff described steps including camera and access-system installations, training, and a promise to hold a parent meeting and post a Friday update.
Several parents urged the Chula Vista board on Nov. 13 for clearer answers after an Oct. 22 incident in which a woman entered a classroom at Heritage, screamed at a student and a substitute teacher, and left families unsettled.
"Aquí, lo que me preocupa es la transparencia y la responsabilidad... Yo tengo que estar aquí para escuchar lo que puede suceder después de esto, en lugar de estar en la cena con mis hijos, y yo siento que esto es deplorable," said parent Delila Cameron, who described emails she had sent to the district that she said went unanswered.
Superintendent Dr. Reyes and staff responded with the district's safety update: the district is working with the Chula Vista Traffic Division to add pedestrian crossings where needed, installing access-control systems and cameras at several campuses (McMillen, Veterans, Heritage) and scheduling emergency-preparedness and stop-the-bleed training in January and February. Staff said there are nine district resource officers and additional safety personnel assigned across schools.
Board members pressed staff for more detail about whether the AJXI alert system activated during the Heritage incident and asked for an immediate parent meeting at the affected campus. Staff said some operational details cannot be shared in public for safety reasons but committed to a Friday update and to coordinate a parent meeting with the principal.
Trustees also discussed low-cost door-control options and asked for a review of maintenance and staffing processes to ensure safety requests receive timely priority. Mr. Romero and Mr. Jovanin described the district's order-of-work process for facilities repairs and said urgent safety issues are prioritized for immediate work or outside contractors when necessary.
The board directed staff to return within 30 days with updates on water-filtration infrastructure and other facilities-related safety work; staff agreed to provide updated timelines and assessment results at the next meeting.
