Last Thursday, without warning or an explanation, a team of police in riot gear carrying rifles stormed Northridge Middle Community School in the Valley. Educators were instructed to go on lockdown as the police forcefully entered random classrooms, pointing their rifles at students and staff.

Police in riot gear carrying rifles stormed Northridge Middle Community School

Northridge Middle Chapter Chair Ivannia Nolasco said the school was on lockdown for two hours. Students were scared, hungry, and needed to use the bathroom, but the school’s administration provided very little information to educators and students about what was happening. 

“We weren’t even given information that police were on campus,” said eighth-grade student Annabelle Cardoza. “We didn’t get the announcement that lockdown was happening.”  

After the lockdown was lifted, Nolasco was told by her administrator that instruction must continue. “And of course, my response to that was that I was confused as to how she thought that instruction could continue after this traumatic event,” said Nolasco. 

School lockdowns followed by a lack of response from administration are becoming commonplace at Northridge Middle. Educators have been taking action to hold the district accountable for campus safety and supporting the school community. 

“More overwhelming than what that moment was, was the fact that we have experienced this before at the school, and we still have no protocols for safety,” said Nolasco. “We still have no clear systems of communication, there’s no transparency about what happened, and many questions remain unanswered.” 

On Sunday, the Northridge Middle Chapter Action Team met to make an action plan. They coordinated a Zoom meeting with students’ families on Tuesday and on Thursday picketed before school to demand that the district and school administration commit to establishing transparent protocols. 

Educators, parents, and community member picketed on Thursday morning to demand transparency from the district

Northridge Middle School parent Adrian Magaña-Lara said what educators and parents are demanding is simple. “The teachers are out here taking extra time out of their day to get something very, very basic like mental health support and access to the kids’ cell phones,” said Magaña-Lara. “That way our kids have communication with us directly and we’re not having to wait for these five robocalls with mixed information in each one.” 

Educators and families are demanding: 

  • Policy Change Meeting with LA School Police and district officials to ensure transparency in emergencies 
  • Trauma-Informed Curriculum that helps students and teachers after traumatic events and advises against resuming normal activities immediately 
  • Lockdown Protocol Training for teachers 
  • Student Assemblies to help students understand and cope with traumatic events 
  • Emergency Supplies including snacks and water in classrooms 
  • Access to Cell Phones for students during emergencies 
  • Post-Event Meetings with all involved parties after emergencies to evaluate and plan 
  • Mental Health Support for Educators during work hours to help manage stress from traumatic events 

“We want everybody to know that we are standing together, and that we are going to continue to fight, to uplift this community because our students deserve it,” said Nolasco. “Our community deserves that.”