The union representing Los Angeles School Police officers has thrown its weight behind furious parents’ demands to reinstate full-time cops on all campuses following the death of Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, 17, who jumped from a fourth-floor balcony at Franklin High School in Highland Park after a classroom fight caught on video.
asserted
who → represent → video
The calls come five years after the LA Unified School District slashed $25 million from its school police budget — axing 133 positions, or 28% of the force — and redirecting money toward a $36.5 million Black Student Achievement Plan that included hiring “climate coaches” to help manage student behavior.
asserted
that → come → behavior
The LAUSD still has 262 sworn school officers, but they are assigned to patrol groups of schools, rather than stationed on individual campuses.
“Recent tragedies involving violence, self-harm and weapons on and around school campuses underscore the urgent need to strengthen — not diminish — our school safety resources,” Anthony Stafford, president of the Los Angeles School Police Management Association, told the California Post.
asserted
Stafford → have → Post
“We understand why parents are calling for greater police presence.
asserted
parents → understand → presence
Every family deserves the peace of mind that their child will return home safely at the end of each school day.”
On Sept. 30, Xavier jumped to his death amid claims he was bullied at school.
uncertain
he → deserve → school
The LA County Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide, citing multiple blunt traumatic injuries to the head and torso.
asserted
Examiner → rule → head
But Xavier’s family said the teen was not suicidal and believe bullying played a role.
asserted
bullying → say → role
Police have stated that they had not established a link between bullying and his death.
asserted
they → state → bullying
In LAUSD’s most recent student survey, 17% of students said they had been bullied — the highest level since the 2021-22 school year.
asserted
they → say → year
Reports of physical bullying, including shoving, hitting or kicking, jumped from 6% in 2024-25 to 15% in 2025-26, according to figures supplied to the California Post.
At Franklin High, 11% of students reported being bullied, including 8% of seniors.
uncertain
% → include → seniors
Among seniors, 5% reported physical bullying.
asserted
% → report → bullying
The district also recorded 5,636 fights and other acts of aggression during the 2024-25 school year, slightly below the 5,707 incidents recorded the year before, according to district data presented in November 2025.
uncertain
district → record → November
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LAUSD did not respond to The Post’s request for updated figures.
asserted
LAUSD → download → figures
A spokesperson said the district remains “committed” to engaging with parents and students.
asserted
district → say → parents
“Los Angeles Unified remains committed to engaging students, families, staff, and community partners as it addresses broader fiscal challenges while maintaining safe and supportive schools,” the spokesperson said.
asserted
spokesperson → remain → schools
“While the district has proposed further reductions as part of its fiscal stabilization efforts, decisions about specific positions, assignments and programs are developed through the district’s budget and operational planning process.”
asserted
decisions → propose → process
Video of Xavier’s Sept. 30 confrontation shows another student striking Xavier inside a classroom as a teacher intervened.
asserted
teacher → show → classroom
Xavier subsequently went into a fourth-floor corridor, where he jumped from a railing.
asserted
he → go → railing
The Los Angeles Police Department and school police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and charges have been filed.
asserted
charges → investigate → incident
His grieving family has launched a Change.org petition demanding tougher security, alleging he was assaulted without timely intervention from security staff and that students filmed both the attack and his fall.
asserted
students → grieve → attack
The petition calls for campus police, security cameras, better-trained staff and safer railings.
“I don’t think no one in their right mind would jump off the fourth floor,” Xavier’s father, William Amaya, 40, told the California Post.
asserted
father → call → Post
“This would have been prevented if enforcement was on campus.”
asserted
enforcement → prevent → campus
Amaya, who also graduated from Franklin High School, said conditions had deteriorated since his time there in the early 2000s.
asserted
conditions → graduate → 2000s
“Things are worse at Franklin now,” he said.
asserted
he → say → Franklin
He recalled that at least two police officers were on duty at the school when he attended, breaking up fights, handcuffing students and enforcing discipline.
asserted
he → recall → discipline
He said that level of police presence needs to return.
asserted
level → say → presence
“Right now it’s not just bring back the police, it’s bring back the police and have them be on campus every time our kids are on campus right now,” Xavier’s aunt, Stephanie Amaya, 37, told The Post.
asserted
aunt → ’ → Post
Stafford said school police do far more than respond to emergencies — they also help prevent violence by mentoring students and intervening before trouble escalates.
asserted
trouble → say → students
The 2021 police cuts sparked fierce opposition at the time, with school police leaders warning the reductions would leave students and staff vulnerable.
asserted
reductions → spark → students
“Make no mistake, this will impact student and staff safety,” Rob Taylor, then-president of the Los Angeles School Police Management Association, warned in February 2021.
asserted
Taylor → make → February
“This is likely to create a liability for the district when the inevitable tragedy occurs that could have been prevented or mitigated.”
uncertain
that → create → district
Supporters of the overhaul insisted they were responding to complaints from black students who felt unfairly targeted by school police.
asserted
who → insist → police
Now the district is considering another round of cuts.
asserted
district → consider → cuts
As part of a broader Fiscal Stabilization Plan, the LAUSD board is expected to vote on a proposed additional $3.5 million cut to the school police budget for fiscal year 2027-28 — with a potential $7 million reduction the following year.
asserted
board → expect → reduction
“We are deeply concerned that LAUSD is considering further cuts to the Los Angeles School Police Department at a time when student safety has never been more critical,” Stafford said.
asserted
Stafford → concern → time
“We have not recovered from those cuts and now face even more cuts.
asserted
We → recover → cuts
Yet, the demand for our services has increased exponentially over the last 5-6 years — even as our resources (training, equipment, personnel) continue to be decreased.”
asserted
resources → increase → years
“Police officers represent authority,” she said.
asserted
she → represent → authority
Most people behave better when they see an officer, even adults.
asserted
they → behave → officer
I support campus police.
“There has definitely been more violence since school police were removed from campus.
asserted
police → support → campus
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
