Parents clash over Safe Passages contractors and calls for more school police

A string of public commenters at the Los Angeles Unified School District board meeting on April 22 urged the district to reconsider its use of contracted safety personnel and to increase funding for trained school police.

Maria Daisy Ortiz asked the board to disclose how much the district pays organizations such as Camino Seguro for Safe Passages services and argued those contractors are not an adequate substitute for trained officers. “I want to know how much funds you pay for safe passages and who contracted these people,” Ortiz said, adding she fears contractors place children at risk.

Karina Lopez Zuniga likewise urged removal of Safe Passages budgets, saying the organization’s personnel “have shown us that they don't care about the law” and calling for more school police funding instead. Juan Mandhi criticized plans to use formerly incarcerated people or ex‑gang members in safety roles in high‑need neighborhoods, asking why such staff would be placed in MacArthur Park and Westlake rather than in more affluent areas.

Marcela Garcia, speaking remotely, asked why parents are not participating in district workshops and argued that better parent engagement and more professionally trained school police would improve student safety, especially for middle and high school students who travel off campus in the dark.

Speakers made programmatic and moral claims during public comment; the board recessed into closed session and did not respond on the public record. The public record from this meeting captures concerns that the board may weigh as it reviews Safe Passages contracts and public‑safety budgets.