Violence at Santa Rosa schools triggers demand for safety

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Teachers, parents and students in Santa Rosa are demanding safer schools after several violent incidents, including a campus fight involving a knife on Thursday at Herbert Slater Middle School.

Nearly 100 members of the Safe Campus Alliance rallied Friday outside of the school holding signs, chanting and cheering at honking cars advocating for increased safety measures.

"If nothing is done, I’m scared something will happen again," said co-founder Melissa Stewart. "We need all hands on deck."

Frustration has grown in recent months as incidents involving guns, knives and violence have increased on several campuses.

Most recently, Santa Rosa police said two 13-year-old boys punched and attacked another student Thursday, prompting a two-hour lockdown. That student pulled out a kitchen knife and tried to lunge toward one of the other boys. All three were arrested and investigators said the incident may be gang-related.

"Thankfully a student didn’t die that day," said district staff member Rebecca Sullivan. "That shouldn’t even be a thought in our heads."

Sullivan said this latest act of violence has triggered PTSD for many in the community.

At Montgomery High School, the trauma still remains after a fight on March 1 led to a deadly stabbing where 16-year-old Jayden Pienta was killed.

"Our resources just don’t add up to the safety of our students on campus," said Sullivan. "I just want a more cohesive safety plan, something that just makes sense."

Just last week, a stabbing occurred at Santa Rosa High School. Police said a 16-year-old student was arrested at his home and the victim was treated for several stab wounds. Detectives found a handgun, a kitchen knife and a gang-associated beanie hat.

Santa Rosa police said there has been an increase in gang-related activity within all the middle schools and high schools in recent years.

"We are seeing a lot of older gang members who are out of high school using younger kids to actually conduct a lot of their activities," Lt. Christopher Mahurin said. "Because juveniles get a lot less consequences going through the justice system than adults do."

The department just revived its gang unit this week after disbanding several years ago. Mahurin said he hopes detectives will be able to track gang activity to thwart violent incidents.

But school resource officers are still a thing of the past. The police and members of the Safe Campus Alliance want to bring them back to school campuses.

"We have multiple suggestions for pillars of safety that we’d like to see implemented," said parent and organizer Stephanie Taylor. "We all need to come together in the wonderful community that we are to support all of our schools."

Taylor said it has to start by engaging students and increasing collaboration among community groups, police and school leaders.

School leaders tell KTVU several students and teachers were not at school on Friday following the campus fight at Herbert Slater Middle School on Thursday.

"It was the same instance and kind of eerily similar to what happened on March 1st, said Montgomery High School student Lyla Snyder. "I had a complete anxiety attack and traumatic response."

Snyder said she not only wants to see police on campus but also more school therapists to help lead interventions and discussions.

"It’s just very disheartening that this sort of thing keeps on happening," she said. "It can be prevented in so many ways that I’m really hoping will be implemented into our school system."

Reinstating school resource officers or adding additional staff to schools will require approval by the Santa Rosa Board of Education.

Superintendent Anna Trunnell requested board members agenize a discussion about school safety at the December 13 meeting, according to a message sent to families and staff members Friday.

Trunnell said the goal of the discussion is to identify strategies and safety measures that potentially include city and county partners. She stressed that the "conversation must happen in public and changes must take place."

Frustrated parents, teachers and students said the changes can only be made if board members take action.

"They need to listen to the community on what we need implemented immediately," said Taylor. "Not waiting until more incidents happen."

Brooks Jarosz is an investigative reporter for KTVU. Email him at brooks.jarosz@fox.com and follow him on Facebook and X @BrooksKTVU