Fighting Teen Dating Abuse

The LAUSD Board of Education approved a new measure allowing schools to take extra steps to help fight teen dating abuse.

Nearly two weeks after a 17-year-old girl was fatally stabbed at school, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday approved a resolution calling on schools to provide programs raising awareness of teen dating violence.

Although a source of funding for the proposal has not been identified, the resolution calls for Superintendent John Deasy to appoint a "prevention coordinator" to work with schools, parents and community groups to teach students about violence prevention, including dating abuse.

Each school would also designate a "prevention liaison" who would work with the coordinator to implement programs on each campus.

The programs would include education on topics such as healthy versus abusive relationships, prevention activities and interventions in response to incidents of dating abuse.

The resolution notes that the programs will be implemented "if funds are made available."

The board's vote came on the heels of a Sept. 30 stabbing at South East High School in South Gate.  Cindi Santana, 17, was stabbed multiple times during a lunchtime argument. She died later that day at a hospital. Her ex-boyfriend, 18-year-old Abraham Lopez, was arrested and charged with murder.

Lopez had been arrested days before the attack for allegedly threatening Santana and her family. Prosecutors declined to file any charges, citing insufficient evidence.

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