Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/valerie-amezcua/)
Much of the frustration centered on plans to put the shelter in a low-income city that long has hosted more shelter beds than any other Orange County city, while wealthier south county cities have refused to open a shelter.
As we mourn the innocent victims who lost their lives in the senseless tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida and ask ourselves why and how has this happened again in our schools, we search for answers that we hope will guide us and give direction on how we can prevent such a horrendous act of violence from ever happening again. Although we may not have all the answers, what we do have – as elected leaders and educators – is a responsibility to ensure that we institute safety and security protocols to ensure our students and staff are safe when they are in our care at school. Schools must remain a safe place where all students can learn, grow and become productive members of society. In the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), the largest school district in Orange County serving 50,000 students, the Board of Education has a long-standing commitment to the safety of students and staff by investing in a strong, well-trained school police department that is specifically designed to support the school community. Operating 24 hours a day, each day of the week, the Santa Ana School Police Department monitors and oversees 57 schools while maintaining a strong partnership with the Santa Ana Police Department and many other neighboring law enforcement agencies in Orange County.
A meeting last week drew a wide cross-section of city leaders and residents – including top officials from the city, schools, police, and nonprofit groups – amid a tripling of shootings in recent years.
Several programs created throughout Southern California in the wake of Proposition 47 in 2014, which called for releasing certain non-violent and drug offenders from state prisons, are beginning to bear fruit.
Organizing efforts and local restorative justice programs spearheaded by Orange County groups like Santa Ana Boys and Men of Color were highlighted at a forum at UC Irvine Wednesday evening.
The school board unanimously approved more than $400,000 for services that focus on underlying issues behind student misbehavior.
About a dozen residents attended a committee meeting Wednesday night to vent their frustration about a city ethics code they say has no teeth.
