Community meetings in Santa Rosa to address school violence, drugs

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Santa Rosa City Schools has dealt with several incidents of violence and drug overdoses in recent weeks.

On Tuesday night, the school district and the police department held a presentation to help parents and students.

It was the first of five meetings.

Organizers said these are community problems that need community engagement to help solve.

"We're hoping to be able to prevent violence, to prevent fentanyl overdoses," said Eric Lofchie, the director of mental health for the school district, as he addressed the audience at the presentation held at Piner High School.

District officials and police educated parents about the signs that their children may be involved with gang violence or drugs.

The backstory:

Just last week, a 16-year- old was arrested for having a loaded gun and knife on campus.

Late last month, one student stabbed another student multiple times, sending the victim to the hospital.

And days before that, two high school students died from a suspected fentanyl overdose off campus.

These incidents have alarmed parents.

"My concern is that some kids bring weapons to school, without knowing, and how my son, the wrong place at the wrong time," said Juan Vasquez, whose 12-year-old son is in 7th grade.

Police said a possible plan to bring back school resource officers after the program was discontinued by the school board in 2020.

"Unfortunately, right now we don't have a timeline if a new SRO program will be approved or, if so, when it would be implemented," said Police Sergeant Patricia Seffens.

A Closer Look:

There was a slide-show presentation about fentanyl, what the drug looks like and how deadly it is even in small amounts.

"I was surprised how can that little piece of fentanyl can kill you," said Mariano Vasquez, a 7th grader who attended the meeting with his father.  

There was a table set up outside the meeting by Face to Face, a nonprofit, to provide Narcan.

Its program director, Lori Violette, is also a parent of a high school student.  

Her best advice to other parents:"Educate them about overdose. Have an open real conversation with them."

The turnout for the meeting was small.

But the school district and police will be holding four more presentations at other high schools.

The next one is scheduled for this Thursday, March 13, at Montgomery High School.

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU