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Parents press Inglewood board on campus safety, staffing and immigrant‑protections policy
Summary
Multiple public commenters urged action on campus safety after incidents at Bennett Q Elementary and asked the board to update its immigration‑enforcement policy; the board approved consent items and said it will revise the district policy in response to recent state law changes.
Parents and community members used the Oct. 1 Inglewood Unified School District board meeting to press the board on safety, special‑education staffing and immigration‑enforcement policy updates.
At the start of the public‑comment period, speakers described a string of safety incidents at Bennett Q Elementary — including a bomb threat, a trespasser in a restroom and students seen with weapons — and called for faster safety upgrades such as improved fencing and camera systems. “We had a bomb threat. We had a homeless guy in the girls’ restroom. We had a kid show up with a toy gun,” one parent said, urging the board to install security measures before a serious injury occurs.
Several speakers raised staffing issues in special education and asked for clearer communication about aides and IEP implementation. An instructional aide described being removed from her assignment and said her classroom of 19 special‑needs students lacked required support; other parents asked when teachers and aides will be assigned permanently.
Community members also urged the board to adopt stronger protections for immigrants on campus. Yaritza Gonzales, identifying herself as a resident and alumni of Trustee Area 3, called for approval of proposed revisions to board policy 5145.13 (Response to Immigration Enforcement) and for the district to coordinate with state and county leaders and local rapid‑response networks.
Board leadership responded with commitments to pursue upgrades and to review policy. Board president Margaret Turner Evans and staff said the district is reviewing camera upgrades and preventative measures and noted plans to repair fences. Superintendent/County administrator Dr. James Morris told the board that the district would bring forward revisions to its immigration‑enforcement policy following recent changes in state law and anticipated guidance from the California Attorney General.
Separately, the board approved a package of consent items including grouped human resources, educational services, business services, Measure GG/facilities items and county administrator items (10 A, 10 B, 10 C, 10 D and 10 E blocks). The approvals were taken as consent with no recorded roll‑call tallies provided in the meeting transcript.
The board did not adopt emergency new rules at the meeting; instead, members said they would follow up with staff on specific safety fixes, continue hiring efforts for special‑education positions and bring a revised immigration‑enforcement policy back for future action.
