SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KRON) — Fixed blade knives are what the Santa Rosa School District have been allegedly finding on students this month, and not just at one school. Knives have been found at a total of three different schools across the district, including the one where a student lost their life to a knife fight on March 1.
“I feel like it’s stupid. Some people bring it for protection, I guess. From bullies and stuff but I don’t really see any bullies,” Tyler Mann, a Santa Rosa School District student told KRON4.
The most recent events happened Tuesday. Santa rosa police said they were called to Herbert Slater Middle School and found a five-inch fixed blade knife and drug paraphernalia inside the backpack of 14-year-old.
Then, about an hour later at Elsie Allen High School, police were called again about a teacher allegedly finding a three-inch blade knife on the classroom floor. Police said school officials determined it had been brought by a 15-year-old boy.
Both students were arrested at both schools for procession of a knife on campus.
But that’s not all. Over the weekend, two Montgomery High School students were arrested for allegedly bringing a seven-and-a-half fixed blade knife to school on Friday. That’s the same school where a student died in the knife fight two weeks ago.
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“It is a concern for us, because I just pulled a child of mine out to do home school now. That’s how bad it is,” Serah Carte, parent of a Santa Rosa School District student told KRON4. “I feel sorry for not only the students but the teachers as well that are suffering. I think it goes back to the board.”
Monday morning, district officials announced the principal and assistant principal at Montgomery High School would be on administrative leave for the rest of the year and replaced by the school’s former principal.
Police said regarding the most recent knifes found Tuesday, school officials did act quickly and followed protocols.
School officials said additional supervision is being added to all high school campuses via redirection of district administration and also support from the Sonoma County Office of Education.
“Officers will spend more time patrolling around the areas of our high schools for added support,” said Vanessa Wedderburn, school district public information officer. “We will continue to work with the SRPD to create long-term strategies for safety.”
“We have received a lot of feedback and ideas from parents with regard to communications. In response, a Safety Advisory Round Table (SART) will be established to ensure that we create and maintain two-way communication between sites and the District office so that we can speak frankly and be promptly responsive to campus needs,” Wedderburn added.
The SART will be comprised of students, staff and community leaders addressing key themes including communication and transparency, safety and security, mental health and counseling services and clean and safe facilities, Wedderburn said.
Applications to join the SART will be available on March 20 and due on March 24. Interviews will be on March 28 and 30 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the district office board room. Meetings will begin on April 4 at 5:30 p.m.
