This article was produced by Pomona Students Union and Gente Organizada a community-led social action non-profit organization based in Pomona whose mission is to organize to build intergenerational power and wellness for youth and immigrant families in Pomona. The Pomonan is co-publishing this article.
Published 11/15/2021 6:25AM
Youth researchers and organizers with the Pomona Students Union, waited one year for the Pomona Unified School District to respond to a public records request that asked for records of disciplinary actions against students, including referrals to Pomona PD.
In a four-year span from 2017-2021, PUSD reported 18,715 disciplinary incidents. Contrary to district messaging, of the 18,715 incidents, roughly 18 students were referred to a school psychologist or given a mental health referral.
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Equally concerning, school district data does not come close to matching Pomona PD records of their presence on school campuses. Pomona PD claims that PUSD has called them a total of 1,711 times over a three-year period from 2018-2021. However, school district records underreported the presence of law enforcement. PUSD claims to have either notified police or filed a police report roughly 200 times.
On Monday, November 15th, the Pomona City Council will vote on a contract to increase the presence of law enforcement in PUSD schools that would bring back community school resource officers to the school district. Youth and parent organizers plan to attend the meeting and ask city council members to not approve the contract and to address the over-dependency of law enforcement and school to prison track in Pomona.
