VIDEO - Parent, School Principal Urges Elk Grove School Board to Curb Use of Police For Minor Student Infractions

November 10, 2017 |  

During their most recent meeting on Tuesday, November 7, the Trustees of the Elk Grove Unified School District heard a host of concerns from parents of students. The concerns ranged from mathematics instruction to the use of police force on school campuses.

Speaking during public comment, Elk Grove resident Mechale Murphy, who identified herself as the Principal of Zehnder Ranch Elementary School, discussed a recent incident involving one of her children. That child, who is a student at Cosumnes Oaks High School was detained by campus police on October 17 for what she described as a minor infraction.

"My own child was treated like a criminal," Murphy said as she choked up. "And the discipline at his school was carried out by the Sacramento Sheriff's Department and not by administrators for low-level misconduct." 

The school district contracts with the Sacramento Sheriff's Department for law enforcement and security of the district's campuses. 

Murphy said she wants the EGUSD to demonstrate they are "not using the discipline system as a pipeline to the correctional system." 

All of Murphy's comments can be viewed in the video below.

Correction - The original posting of this story identified the school of the incident as Elk Grove High School. The incident occurred at Cosumnes Oaks High School. The story has been changed to reflect the correction.