Davis School Safety Under Scrutiny in New Yolo County Grand Jury Report

A recently issued Yolo County Civil Grand Jury report is reigniting worries about school safety. Davis , especially in campus areas that have direct access to public parks.

SEE THE COMPLETE REPORT HERE.

The 2024-25 report urges the Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) to take additional steps to fortify its premises against possible dangers, such as active shooter scenarios. The suggestions include erecting perimeter fences, locking classroom doors during school times, and installing surveillance systems with immediate communication capabilities.

The report mentions "continual worry regarding safeguarding against active shooter events."

A number of Davis schools have adjacent borders with city parks, which has been regarded as an attractive aspect of the neighborhood for many years; however, the grand jury cautions that these open campuses also pose significant security risks.

Bianca Saleebyan, who often strolls through Davis Community Park adjacent to a school, acknowledges the district's predicament yet backs the initiative for enhanced safeguards.

I think they're putting in their best effort, but adding a fence might not be such a bad idea to prevent people from casually walking around the campus," she commented. "One can never be too sure.

The report also notes DJUSD allocated $3 million for fencing in 2023, but so far, none has been installed.

According to a statement from DJUSD, they have already put into place multiple new safety measures and intend to start constructing fences at five elementary schools, such as North Davis Elementary.

“I personally think better safe than sorry,” Saleebyan added.

DJUSD says it will formally respond to the grand jury’s findings and recommendations by the required deadline. Construction on new fencing is expected to begin this spring and continue into next year.

Here is the complete DJUSD response provided below:

“The Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) has consistently responded thoroughly and promptly to the past three Yolo County Grand Jury reports concerning school safety. We just received the recent report and are reviewing the findings. We will provide a structured response to the latest report within the required timeline and we can share the following information at this time:

In recent years, DJUSD has implemented improvements to safety policies, practices, and infrastructure. This includes updated safety plans, routine emergency drills, strengthened collaboration with local law enforcement, and enhancements across all 18 campuses—such as the installation of 125 standardized wayfinding signs and 75 directional arrows to guide visitors, as well as the deployment of Lok Bloks and motion-detection cameras at our elementary and junior high schools.

We are actively advancing our strategic fencing initiative to improve campus access control. North Davis, Willett, Pioneer, Korematsu and Montgomery Elementary Schools are scheduled to receive new fencing this spring/summer, with additional schools following in the next academic year. These efforts follow 18 months of planning and community outreach.

DJUSD remains firmly committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for all students and staff and will continue to review and refine our practices.”