Board may restore campus deputies

AVUHSD trustees meet today to discuss contract

LANCASTER — With small groups of students scheduled to return to campuses beginning Monday, Antelope Valley Union High School District’s Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. today to consider bringing school resource deputies back to campuses for the remainder of the school year.

The proposed contract would not exceed $150,000. It would provide one school resource deputy team lead and up to four school resource deputies.

A district official said the unusual Saturday afternoon special meeting was the first opportunity the Board had to consider the item.

School resource deputies have not been on campuses since the COVID-19 pandemic closed school campuses in March 2020 and students and teachers shifted to an at-home learning model.

Some community members have urged the Board not to bring deputies back to campuses, while others voiced support for them.

The District convened a committee of students, teachers, classified employees, administrators and community members to review its contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The committee has not yet reported back to the Board.

The meeting will be conducted by teleconference. Anyone wishing to observe the meeting may do so via https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6hLaGo2xh3dclTRisANvsQ

Anyone who wishes to provide public comments can submit a speaker card electronically by visiting https://forms.gle/gSSLob3wFFcg6t278

The link will be available at 1 p.m. and must be submitted by 3 p.m. to be read aloud during the meeting. Submissions must comply with the three-minute time limit. A total time for public input on each agenda item shall be limited to 20 minutes.