There’s no place like a piece of school property

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Eloisa Garcia in News

Eloisa Garcia

Thomas Medrano

Photo Editor &

Chronicle Reporter

A half-naked homeless man with no pants was an eye opener for students who passed the man walking by on the morning of Oct. 6 on Highland Avenue as they entered school at the Selma gate.

SAS Senior Denis Beltran was one of the students that saw the half-naked man and said, “I was disturbed because he could have been carrying infections, and I don’t know what was going on down there.”

The school as well as Denis has the same thoughts and concerns about this situation. Earlier this month Principal Alejandra Sanchez called school police to bring patrol for the school. (quote from Ms. Sanchez needed)

The homeless population around the school is not only concerning school staff and students. Parents also have intervened and have expressed their personal opinions about the situation. Silvia Chalco is one of the concerned parents, and believes that its the city’s responsibility to solve this problem. She said, “In my opinion I think that the city is not taking responsibility and control for these homeless people. It is necessary for police to supervise and patrol around the school for the students’ security.”

Another parent, Maria Morales, agrees with these thoughts, believing that if possible, the homeless should be be kept at least five feet away from the school.

Parents plan to collect signatures from both parents and students and present it to the school board to demand a solution to this problem.

As parents plan to take action, it seems that from past experiences, the school has learned that by turning on the sprinklers, it would help keep the homeless away from school grounds and from sleeping outside the school lawn. This method has been found to be very efficient from keeping them away. “When the lawn is wet they do not stay here,” said Frank Muniz, plant manager.

Although asking the homeless to leave would help alleviate the situation, they are not legally obligated to move. However most of them do, but instead of taking their belongings with them, they hide them behind bushes so that they can come back later when the staff is gone. The school, however, cannot legally touch their personal belongings, especially if is not close to the school or affecting it in any way said Officer Martin.

Another suggestion that has been made is upping the patrols of school police. Officer Martin, one of the school police officers, has only been here since last year and says he has not seen a problem with them affecting any students commute to or from school. However, he does know that the reason why the homeless prefer to stay around the school is because there is no fence surrounding the grounds on the side of Sunset Boulevard.

Although the amount of homeless people around the school is not decreasing, students like Ilene Gomez, SAS senior, believes that the homeless people are just minding their own business. Gomez was one of the students who saw the half naked man walking around and said, “I just thought it was funny. I am not disturbed by the homeless; they mind their own business and I mind mine.”

Martha Khalaji, a parent, is another person that does not have a problem with homeless people sleeping around the school because she knows that they need a place to sleep and she wishes they had a place to sleep.

As for the outcome of the situation, there has not been a definite solution until further notice.