Police called to Santa Rosa schools 945 times last year

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Parents and students packed a meeting Tuesday night, expressing their anger and frustration with crime on Santa Rosa high school campuses.

The gathering lasted just under three hours.

The crowd called for change following a deadly stabbing, a weapons arrest and a case of arson just days apart. Police said last year, there were 945 calls for service at schools district-wide and that school resource officers were removed by the school board in the summer.

"Something might go wrong and my kid might not come back," said one father.  

Parents, students and teachers were among the hundreds who packed into what was called a "listening session" held by Santa Rosa City Schools District at the Friedman Event Center.  

Each expressed concerns about safety on school campuses following a series of incidents including a deadly stabbing at Montgomery High School last week and the arrest of a student with a gun at a different high school.  

"I came to get answers. I've been to board meetings and parents aren't getting answers," said parent Kaitlin Wood. "We need to know what's happening to protect ourselves. We can't be knowing through an email to our parents hours later. It needs to happen directly. I don't know if I should pull her from the school district. I don't know what to do."  

Students said they are learning about serious incidents from peers – not school officials.

"We are not getting information fast enough if there are rumors of a gun on campus," said Will Mosier, a senior at Maria Carillo High. "We would like to know. We are the ones affected, not our parents who are 20 to 30 minutes away. We are in the direct line of danger." 

Still, Wood and other parents want to see alternatives to returning school resource officers on campus such as more counselors.

"I want to see students identified when they have behavior issues. And when they are identified, that they receive the mental health that they deserve," said Reuben Crow Feather. 

Schools Superintendent Anna Trunnell said she took everything said at the meeting seriously. 

"We have decisions to make. The voices tonight help us shape how we do things in the future," said Trunnell.  

She pledged to visit each and every school in the district and that changes will be coming.

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