(The Center Square) - Despite the Los Angeles Unified School District's claims of improved campus safety and less violence, critics say a deeper look paints a different picture.
According to LAUSD’s data, student fights surged by 21% — reaching 6,131 incidents — during the 2025–2026 school year compared to four years prior, while student threats increased by 11.5% to 4,015 incidents.
kAmw@H6G6C[ 6IE6C?2= H2E495@8D 2C8F6 E96 A:4EFC6 :D H@CD6 7@C E96 ?2E:@?VD D64@?5\=2C86DE D49@@= 5:DEC:4E :7 4@>A2C:D@?D 2C6 >256 E@ E96 AC6\A2?56>:4 6C2]k^Am
kAmr@>A2C:?8 4FCC6?E 7:8FC6D E@ E96 a_`g–`h D49@@= J62C D9@HD 7:89E:?8 :?4:56?ED 92G6 >F=E:A=:65 >@C6 E92? EH@ 2?5 2 92=7 E:>6D[ DFC8:?8 7C@> a[b`d E@ e[`b`[ D2:5 |2C:2 {F:D2 !2=>2[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^I]4@>^~=6252!2C6?EDn=2?8l6?Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q 52E2\D276C65:C64EFC=lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8@@8=6]4@>^FC=nBl9EEADi^^I]4@>^~=6252!2C6?EDn=2?8Tbs6?U2>AjD@FC46l8>2:=U2>AjFDEl`fhagegdffc_b___U2>AjFD8lp~G'2H`)$_&3JI)~E)2"\+K"t&A'Qm~=6252 x?4]k^2mk^DEC@?8m[ 2 ?@?AC@7:E E92E AC@>@E6D A2C6?E2= :?G@=G6>6?E 2E D49@@=D]k^Am
kAm%9:D H@CD6?:?8 D49@@= 4=:>2E6 :D 7FCE96C >28?:7:65 3J 2 D92CA 5C@A :? 5:DEC:4E 6?C@==>6?E[ H9:49 A=F?865 7C@> cge[adh E@ bgh[cbg DEF56?ED @G6C E96 D2>6 E:>67C2>6]k^Am
kAmQ%96C6 2C6 >2?J >@C6 :?4:56?ED 56DA:E6 76H6C DEF56?ED[Q D2:5 !2=>2[ H9@ BF6DE:@?65 E96 :?E68C:EJ @7 {p&$s’D :?E6C?2= 52E2 EC24<:?8] $96 E@=5 %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6 E96C6 2C6 5:D4C6A2?4:6D :? C6A@CED 2?5 2 =24< @7 EC2?DA2C6?4J H:E9 A2C6?ED 5FC:?8 E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 D49@@= D276EJ A=2?D]k^Am
kAmu@C J62CD[ A2C6?ED 92G6 AC@E6DE65 @FED:56 E96 ah\DE@CJ 5:DEC:4E 9625BF2CE6CD :? 5@H?E@H? {@D p?86=6D E@ 56>2?5 2? :?4C62D65 A@=:46 AC6D6?46[ H9:49 92D 366? 23D6?E 7C@> {p&$s 42>AFD6D 7@C E96 =2DE 7:G6 J62CD]k^Am
kAm{2?46 xKF>:[ D6?:@C 5:C64E@C @7 E96 r6?E6C 7@C t5F42E:@? 2E E96 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A24:7:4C6D62C49]@C8^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q 52E2\D276C65:C64EFC=lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8@@8=6]4@>^FC=nBl9EEADi^^HHH]A24:7:4C6D62C49]@C8^U2>AjD@FC46l8>2:=U2>AjFDEl`fhagegdffc_b___U2>AjFD8lp~G'2H`#)$?s$=%|\@{)DHB@_46<Qm!24:7:4 #6D62C49 x?DE:EFE6k^2mk^DEC@?8m :? ?62C3J !2D256?2[ 2C8F6D E92E DEC:AA:?8 42>AFD6D @7 =2H 6?7@C46>6?E C6>@G65 2 G:E2= =2J6C @7 56E6CC6?46]k^Am
kAmQ(96? J@F C6>@G6 E96 A@=:46 7C@> 42>AFD6D[ J@FVC6 C6>@G:?8 2 =@E @7 56E6CC6?46 7C@> DEF56?ED 5@:?8 G:@=6?E 24ED 2?5 9FCE:?8 @E96C DEF56?ED[Q kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A24:7:4C6D62C49]@C8^2FE9@C^=2?46\:KF>:^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q 52E2\D276C65:C64EFC=lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8@@8=6]4@>^FC=nBl9EEADi^^HHH]A24:7:4C6D62C49]@C8^2FE9@C^=2?46\:KF>:^U2>AjD@FC46l8>2:=U2>AjFDEl`fhagegdffc_b___U2>AjFD8lp~G'2Hb;0t9F&%dduc4d}!w`6d)2QmxKF>:k^2mk^DEC@?8m E@=5 %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6]k^Am
kAm}@E:?8 E92E {p&$s 92D 6=:>:?2E65 >@C6 E92? `__ D49@@= A@=:46 A@D:E:@?D[ xKF>: 25565 E92E :E :D “?@E DFCAC:D:?8 E92E H96? J@F 92G6 ?@ =2H 6?7@C46>6?E :? E96 G:4:?:EJ E92E <:5D[ 6DA64:2==J @?6D H9@ H2?E E@ 4@>>:E >2J96>[ 2C6 8@:?8 E@ E2<6 25G2?E286 @7 E92E 2?5 E96 G:4E:>D 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 @E96C 49:=5C6?]”k^Am
kAmxKF>: 2=D@ 4C:E:4:K65 E96 5:DEC:4EVD 962GJ C6=:2?46 @? QC6DE@C2E:G6 ;FDE:46 AC24E:46DQ E@ 4@>32E 3F==J:?8 2?5 >:D3692G:@C] &?56C E96D6 AC24E:46D[ xKF>: D2:5[ A6CA6EC2E@CD 2?5 G:4E:>D 2C6 3C@F89E E@86E96C E@ E2=< 2?5 2A@=@8:K6 — 2 AC@46DD xKF>: 4@?E6?5D @776CD ?@ C62= 4@?D6BF6?46 7@C E96 288C6DD@C 2?5 ?@ C62= ;FDE:46 7@C E96 G:4E:>]k^Am
kAmQ$FC6[ D@>63@5J 42? 2A@=@8:K6 7@C 2? 24E[ 3FE E92E 5@6D?VE >62? E92E E92E :D E96? 2 5:D:?46?E:G6 7@C E96> E@ 8@ @FE 2?5 5@ :E 282:? E@>@CC@H[Q xKF>: D2:5]k^Am
kAm|@>D 7@C {:36CEJ D2:5 E96 2?DH6C :D 5:D4:A=:?6]k^Am
kAm“(96? D49@@=D C6=J @? VC6DE@C2E:G6 AC24E:46DV :?DE625 @7 C62= 4@?D6BF6?46D 7@C G:@=6?46[ 7:89ED 2?5 E9C62ED :?4C62D6 2?5 DEF56?ED =@D6 E96 D276 4=2DDC@@>D E96J 56D6CG6[Q D2:5 %:?2 s6D4@G:49[ rt~ 2?5 4@\7@F?56C @7 |@>D 7@C {:36CEJ[ 2 A2C6?E2= C:89ED ?@?AC@7:E]k^Am
kAmQ%62496CD F?:@?D 92G6 5C:G6? E96D6 D@7E 5:D4:A=:?6 A@=:4:6D E9C@F89 4@?EC24ED 2?5 A@=:E:42= :?7=F6?46[ 2?5 A2C6?ED >FDE :?D:DE @? 4@?D:DE6?E 5:D4:A=:?6[ AC@A6C DFA6CG:D:@?[ 2?5 D49@@= =6256CD H9@ AFE D276EJ 7:CDE D@ 6G6CJ 49:=5 42? =62C? H:E9@FE 762C[Q s6D4@G:49 E@=5 %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6 :? 2? 6>2:=]k^Am
kAm&ADE2E6[ 4C:E:4D 2C8F6 E96 AC@3=6> 6IE6?5D 36J@?5 =@42= 5:DEC:4E 49@:46D E@ 3C@256C DE2E6\=6G6= >2?52E6D]k^Am
kAmvC68 qFCE[ G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 E96 r2=:7@C?:2 u2>:=J r@F?4:=[ A@:?ED E@ =68:D=2E:@? DF49 2D kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=68:D42?]4@>^rp^E6IE^$qafc^:5^agbachfQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q 52E2\D276C65:C64EFC=lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8@@8=6]4@>^FC=nBl9EEADi^^=68:D42?]4@>^rp^E6IE^$qafc^:5^agbachfU2>AjD@FC46l8>2:=U2>AjFDEl`fhagegdffc_b___U2>AjFD8lp~G'2Hae0H@+agI"v+?GJgx>:x*CQm$6?2E6 q:== afck^2mk^DEC@?8m[ D:8?65 3J s6>@4C2E:4 v@G] v2G:? }6HD@> 2?5 2FE9@C65 3J E96?\$6?] }2?4J $<:??6C[ s\q6C<6=6J] %96 =2H 6IE6?565 2 DE2E6H:56 32? @? DFDA6?5:?8 DEF56?ED 7@C QH:==7F= 567:2?46Q E9C@F89 >:55=6 2?5 9:89 D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmQu@C >@C6 E92? 2 564256[ {p&$s 2?5 $24C2>6?E@ 92G6 EC62E65 5:D4:A=:?6 2D E96 AC@3=6>[ :?DE625 @7 567:2?46[ 7:89E:?8 2?5 DEF56?ED E9C62E6?:?8 E96:C 4=2DD>2E6D[Q kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]42=:7@C?:272>:=J]@C8^8C68\3FCE^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q 52E2\D276C65:C64EFC=lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8@@8=6]4@>^FC=nBl9EEADi^^HHH]42=:7@C?:272>:=J]@C8^8C68\3FCE^U2>AjD@FC46l8>2:=U2>AjFDEl`fhagegdffc_b___U2>AjFD8lp~G'2H_'vsE"3gB7?{B{0y6}pd)dQmqFCEk^2mk^DEC@?8m D2:5 :? 2? 6>2:= E@ %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6] Q|62?H9:=6[ {p&$s AF==65 A@=:46 @77 :ED 42>AFD6D[ 2?5 7:89ED ?62C=J 5@F3=65] tG6CJ 49:=5[ @7 6G6CJ C246[ 56D6CG6D 2 4=2DDC@@> H96C6 E96 CF=6D >62? D@>6E9:?8] $q afcVD 32? 7@C >:55=6 2?5 9:89 D49@@= DEF56?ED 6IA:C6D :? a_ah] %96 {68:D=2EFC6 D9@F=5 =6E :E]Qk^Am
kAm{p&$s 92D 5676?565 :ED D276EJ C64@C5 3J 9:89=:89E:?8 J62C\3J\J62C 564C62D6D :? C6A@CE65 7:89E:?8[ E9C62ED[ H62A@?D :?4:56?ED 2?5 DF:4:56 C:D<D 4@>A2C65 E@ E96 AC6G:@FD D49@@= J62C] %@ 255C6DD @?8@:?8 DEF56?E 4@?7=:4E[ {p&$s D2:5 :E :D DEC6?8E96?:?8 :ED AC6G6?E:@? 677@CED E9C@F89 QA@D:E:G6 3692G:@C :?E6CG6?E:@?D 2?5 DFAA@CEDQ 2=@?8D:56 C6DE@C2E:G6 ;FDE:46 AC24E:46D[ H9:=6 6IA2?5:?8 >6?E2= 962=E9 EC2:?:?8 2?5 C6D@FC46D 7@C DE277[ DEF56?ED 2?5 72>:=:6D]k^Am
kAm|62?H9:=6[ xKF>: H2C?D E92E E96 492==6?86D 724:?8 {@D p?86=6D 2C6 ?@E :D@=2E65] r:E:?8 7656C2= uqx DE2E:DE:4D EC24<:?8 @G6C 2 >:==:@? 4C:>:?2= :?4:56?ED 2?5 C@F89=J `]d >:==:@? 4C:>6 G:4E:>D @? D49@@= 42>AFD6D ?2E:@?H:56[ xKF>: 6>A92D:K6D E92E 42>AFD D276EJ :D 2? :DDF6 9:EE:?8 p>6C:42VD 324<J2C5D]k^Am
kAmQ(96? J@FVC6 E2=<:?8 23@FE 2 >:==:@? 2?5 2 92=7 4C:>6 G:4E:>D @? D49@@= 42>AFD6D 24C@DD p>6C:42[ E92E :D 92AA6?:?8 :? 6G6CJ3@5JVD 324<J2C5[” D2:5 xKF>:]k^Am