An alarming spate of break-ins at Wadsworth Avenue Elementary School in South Los Angeles has stirred Los Angeles Unified School District officials and the community. Over the weekend, what marked the sixth break-in at the school since July, thieves inflicted over $100,000 in damages, according to KTLA. The incident is but a fraction of a disturbing district-wide trend, with Superintendent Alberto Carvalho stating the district has faced more than 170 reported break-ins this year.
In a statement laden with frustration, Carvalho expressed his anguish over these violations, "Breaks my heart to see our schools become victims of burglaries and vandalism," he said, according to his social media. Describing the schools, like Wadsworth Avenue Elementary, as sanctuaries for learning, his sentiment underscored the violation faced by students and faculty, whose environment for education is instead being targeted for crime.
At a press conference, Carvalho detailed the recent barrage of criminal activity which includes stealing of catalytic converters from buses, copper theft, and the defacing of school property. Speaking to local news, Carvalho underscored how these acts hurt one of the most defenseless factions of the city's population, "This is a poor school, and it breaks my heart, and quite frankly, it infuriates me to know that a school like this one — that often struggles for the resources the students and parents need," he told CBS News Los Angeles.
Wadsworth Avenue Elementary has already initiated safety measures in response to the recurring vandalism, installing alarms and plans to add security cameras, noted principal Jenny Guzman-Murdoch. Superintendent Carvalho reminded the public that most stolen items have trackable serial numbers and can be disabled remotely. He emphasized that these interventions, while necessary, divert funds from educational purposes, "This means that we're having to use general fund money to pay for damage or to replace equipment when those dollars need to be investigated in the classroom," Carvalho said in the wake of estimates that the district has spent millions on repairs and replacements from these incidents.
In an effort to confront and curtail this trend, increased police patrols in the affected areas have been promised. Carvalho urged members of the community to step forward with any information, routing them to contact the L.A. school police or the Los Angeles Police Department. The recent voter approval of Measure US, a $9 billion bond program dedicated to campus improvements is a silver lining that may help mitigate future instances of such damaging crimes against schools.
