Valley teacher demands DSUSD update student disciplinary records

“I don’t feel safe anymore,” said an emotional Melissa Labayog, a teacher at Horizon School, who was violently attacked by a student two years ago.

Supported by about 40 teachers, parents and students, Melissa Labayog made an emotional plea to the Desert Sands Unified School District, asking the school board to start updating student disciplinary records immediately.

“I think being in jail for a year, being on probation is something I should know,” she said.

Labayog told board members that just two weeks ago, she learned one of her students had recently been in jail after a parole officer walked into her office at Horizon. She said the studen’s’ disciplinary record left that out.

“That doesn’t mean I won’t see the student, but it does mean I do need to know,” Labayog said.

While she says improvements have been made to the system, many teachers still don’t know who is in their classrooms.

The district disagrees. DSUSD officials say the electronic system that allows teachers to access students records is updated as soon information is passed along to them, from other schools and from the courts.

“As soon as we know something, we do post it. So we definitely meet the letter of the law,” said Mary Perry, spokeswoman for the district.

Labayog’s former student, Ivette Valeriano, who also spoke before the board, says the district isn’t doing enough.

“It’s unacceptable for the community. We want everybody to be safe,” Valeriano said.

Labayog says she just wants to make sure this doesn’t happen again to any other teachers.

“If this is the end of my career, well I already lost an eye and and ear I can’t afford to lose anything more. And I wouldn’t wish this upon my worst enemy,” she said.