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LAUSD Hosts First In Series Of School Safety Town Halls

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Teachers, parents, staff and students gathered Sunday for the first in a series of town hall meetings addressing school safety in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Scott Peake and his family say they have talked about the issue around the dinner table regularly since the Parkland school shooting on February 14.

He came to the event at the Hollywood High School library to exchange ideas with district officials on how to keep students safe.

"Because of escalating violence all around us I don't think we can ignore it anymore," said CSUN professor Joannie Busillo Aguayo, an education instructor who is teaching future teachers.

Sixth-grader Ian Peake said his big concern is those in charge of keeping him safe at school.

"At Parkland there were many sheriffs outside who saw the man and didn't do anything," he said.

Those in charge at LAUSD will gather information at these town halls, write up a report and plan to take action.

One key issue, according to L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer, is mental health.

"How they respond to bullying, and that isolated student to make sure that person doesn't become dangerous later on," he explained.

"We know in California we don't fund our schools at the level we should," Feuer added.

Some recommendations could turn into investments in school safety.

"For things like psychiatric social workers. More teachers so we have smaller classrooms so we can really get to know our students, get to know their families," said John Marshall High School teacher Nicole Fefferman.

Sunday marked the first of seven of these events. Fewer than 100 people showed up to tackle school safety, which impacts 755,000 LAUSD students every single day.

Officials say new policies could be implemented as early as next school year.

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