Parents angered over violent student fights at Culver City schools

CULVER CITY, Calif. (KABC) — Parents of children who attend Culver City Middle School and Culver City High School are demanding the district take action against violence by students on campus.

Dozens of parents organized a protest Friday morning outside the campuses. They showed up holding signs saying “safety can’t wait” and “protect our children.”

One parent shared with Eyewitness News cellphone video of her daughter being attacked. Raequel London says fights are a regular occurrence at her daughter’s school.

“My concern is the students that are starting the fights,” London said. “I want them expelled and supported in a way to where they don’t end up in jail or dead. And I want my child along with every other child to be able to come to school and learn in an environment that is safe.”

Eyewitness News was there as parents confronted Culver City Unified School District Superintendent Quoc Tran. Tran got an earful from parents who demanded something be done about the fights on campus.

He was apologetic that the parents’ frustration boiled over, resulting in the protest.

“The district regrets so much that it got to this point where our parents’ sense of safety for their children is compromised,” Tran said to reporters. “For that I apologize. It’s a big regret on our part.”

The district has scheduled a second town hall meeting for Feb. 27. It’ll be a chance for parents and administrators to talk about solutions to reducing fights on campuses, and how to properly and effectively deal with so-called troublemakers on campus.