Opinion: Community outrage and protests in Culver City Unified School District

The Culver City school community expressed outrage due to ongoing fights, bullying, and a lack of campus safety on the middle and high school campuses with protests in February. 

With multiple violent fights happening between students on both campuses, parents, students and community members are outraged with the district and demanding answers, along with change. 

Every Friday, parents and community members are planning to gather in front of the Culver City Middle and High School campus in protest of the district’s lack of care, effort, and change. With two successful protests and more on the way, the school district held a Town Hall meeting to discuss these concerns, receiving an earful from the community. 

One parent raised a concern regarding bullying and the district’s so-called “zero tolerance” policy stated in their handbooks.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusions Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Smith said, “there is no zero-tolerance anything in California … It just is [like this]”. 

Anitra Smith, a parent of a sixth grade student at the middle school, brought to attention a disturbing issue with a security guard. Smith said her child, along with other students, were told by a security guard “that he hates Black people, that they did not belong at that school, they should kill themselves, and/or die.”

Smith also said the Culver City School administration was also extremely vague in their communication with parents regarding the event, with hardly any information at all.

With no clear resolution in sight and nothing being done by the school board, many are calling for the resignation of Superintendent Quoc Tran. Parents and other protestors say they feel Tran hardly addresses community questions and concerns in board meetings, making no effort or change.

Protests and community outcry will continue to happen until changes are made and our voices are heard, not shut down.

Click here to watch the Town Hall meeting in its entirety.