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River City parents, unions press Washington Unified on safety, discipline and staff retention
Summary
At the March 13 board meeting, a parent presented a petition for a School Resource Officer at River City High and union leaders and trustees pressed for posting a discipline matrix, exit interviews and steps to improve staff retention and school safety.
A River City parent and union representatives pressed the Washington Unified board on safety and staff retention at the March 13 meeting, urging concrete steps including a School Resource Officer (SRO) at River City High, broader discipline-policy clarity and routine exit interviews for departing employees.
Ruth Pagano, who identified herself as a River City High parent and said she gathered a petition signed by 445 supporters, told the board: "We need and want a school resource officer on the River City High School campus as soon as possible." Pagano also raised concerns about use of narcotics-detection dogs and the prospect of backpack, classroom or personal searches if dogs are used.
Union and association speakers reported a violent incident this week at Westfield Village Elementary in which a teacher was injured and taken to the emergency room. A WSTA representative urged the board to post the updated discipline matrix in every classroom and to perform an annual audit of discipline incidents and adherence to matrix procedures. The speaker also recommended exit interviews for every departing employee to understand retention problems.
CSCA and WSTA leaders proposed a temporary moratorium on out-of-state conference travel while budget negotiations continue to conserve funds for local staff supports; the board discussed aligning reimbursements with federal or GSA per diem standards to reflect cost differences by city.
Trustees said they welcomed more detail on discipline posting, exit interview procedures and targeted supports for particularly impacted sites including Yolo High School. Board members also flagged the need for clarity about any SRO timeline and for continued public updates on the districts process for considering campus safety measures.
The meeting record shows no immediate board action to place an SRO; public comment and association requests were recorded for follow-up. Trustees asked staff to return with information on next steps and a status update on SRO coordination with city partners.
