Empowering Students, Shaping Bright Futures
At CTCAV, we believe every student deserves to learn in a safe, supportive environment. Therefore, we are fighting for educational justice and calling for the cancellation of all law enforcement contracts that place police in our schools. Reinvesting those millions of dollars into true student support and wrap-around services.
School Resource Deputies too often interact with students in harmful rather than helpful ways. This leads to unnecessary arrests and citations that push youth into the juvenile justice system and fuel the school-to-prison pipeline.
These harmful interactions with school police disproportionately affect students of color and those with disabilities. In fact, a recent Los Angeles County Office of Inspector General report found that in one Antelope Valley school district, over 86% of School Resource Deputy contacts with Black students led to their arrest. Additionally, out of 812 documented cases of student contact with school police, there were only 2 instances in which the police officer recommended a diversion program for that youth. The remaining 810 contacts ended in arrest or the issuing of a citation.
We envision schools where all students are treated with dignity, have access to mental health supports, social and emotional learning programs, art, music, and have access to a quality education that prepares them for college or a career —instead of being prepared for a prison cell. Let’s work together to create learning spaces that truly nurture our young people and their futures.
School is a Safe Space
Schools should be safe havens where every student feels valued, supported, and free to learn without fear. Education is not just a right—it’s the foundation for opportunity, empowerment, and the chance for a healthy and successful future.When schools resemble carceral environments or rely on intimidation and policing, they strip students of their dignity and their ability to thrive. True safety comes from trust, care, and community—not surveillance. Protecting education rights means ensuring every student has access to a quality education free of discrimination, welcoming and safe spaces, mental health resources, and educators who believe in their potential. Our schools should be focused on helping its students build a better future for themselves, instead of leaving them unprepared for college or a career.
Getting Involved
On May 24, 2023, Cancel the Contract-Antelope Valley, current and former individual students represented by Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Equal Justice Society, and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against the Antelope Valley Union School District (AVUHSD) for its discriminatory discipline practices. The lawsuit alleges violations of state and federal laws, including the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and California Education Code. AVUHSD’s data shows a pattern of suspending, and expelling its Black students and students with disabilities at much higher rates than their white or non-disabled peers, violating their rights to an equitable education. On March 18, 2025 the Honorable Mitchell Beckloff Judge of the Superior Court ruled against the AVUHSD and ordered the district to rewrite its policies on suspensions, expulsions, voluntary transfers, and involuntary transfers.
Stand Up For Education Justice
Our students deserve safe, supportive schools—not injustice and discrimination. Let’s fight together to end harmful practices, hold school districts accountable, and create a brighter future for ALL students.
CTC regularly attends and provides public comment at local school board meetings. When the Antelope Valley Union School District refused to cancel their contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, CTC took our concerns around the historical lack of oversight and accountability for on-campus deputies to the LA County Board of Supervisors who oversees the Sheriff’s Department .
Working with Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s office, CTC helped pass several important motions that prioritized student’s wellbeing, ensuring they had access to a safe and supportive learning environment and providing clear guidelines for School Resource Deputies’ duties, responsibilities, and interaction with students. CTC continues the work of ending school’s reliance on law enforcement as the only way to keep students free from harm and instead creating and implementing a new vision for school safety.
Empowering Parents & Students!
