Alexandria City Public Schools got a visit from Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, who toured Alexandria City High School and met with school and city officials, students and Chief of Police Don Hayes.
"The visit was an opportunity to address concerns about safety in schools and share the unique characteristics of our community and high school with the Attorney General. We agree on the importance of students being able to grow and thrive in a safe learning environment and assured him of the close partnership between our school division, Alexandria Police Department and other agencies that promote the well-being of children," city officials said in a press release.
School safety has become a serious concern in Alexandria among parents, students and community members. With a strong request from school officials, School Resource Officers, who were removed from schools in May 2021, returned to their duties in November.
In May of this year, Crescere Strategies, LLC, an organization that helps business and nonprofit leaders better align their vision, mission, strategy and operational assets, surveyed community members about safety.
According to the survey report: "Members of the Alexandria Community are concerned about school safety. They are looking for support, answers, and solutions from elected officials, law enforcement professionals, and district and school leaders. The interest in the survey should be a cue to leaders to take the issue seriously and work with community members to address these fundamental concerns." The survey was conducted before the off-campus stabbing death of a high school senior in May, which tragically punctuated the concerns highlighted in the survey.
Regarding the visit from Miyares: "It’s an important meeting to ensure that our city has the full support of the state to ensure the safety and learning of our children in public schools," said René Islas, CEO of Crescere Strategies and an ACPS parent who has been active in advocating for improved safety in ACPS. Islas was not involved in today's visit from Miyares.
Following the meeting, Mayor Justin Wilson stated, "Our students are successful when all three levels of government are rowing in the same direction."
There were no specific actions or decisions released following Monday's visit, but Wilson noted, "I appreciated that the Attorney General took the time to learn about our school, our students and the partnership between City and Schools that works tirelessly to expand opportunity for success. We will continue the dialogue to inform the policy-making process in Richmond and identify ways that Richmond can help students thrive!"
