Valley teacher demands more from DSUSD to prevent attacks

A Valley teacher violently attacked by a student two years ago warns it could happen again because she says Desert Sands Unified School District won’t follow the law and let teachers know about students with a violent history.

Melissa Labayog’s alleged attacker pleaded not guilty in court Thursday. She spoke exclusively with News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 about her concerns.

“This side looks OK, but it doesn’t work so well any more,” said Labayog.

A blow to the head by a student nearly 2 years ago left Labayog partially blind and deaf. A dim independent study office at Horizon School will be the closest she will ever get to being in a classroom again.

“It’s really limiting and it’s definitely not what I went into teaching for, I miss the classroom,” said Labayong

Labayog says the student who hit her had disciplinary record, but says the district didn’t tell her as state law requires.

“You don’t turn our back on someone if you know they have a history of violence and in this case I had no idea. I had a student in my room for a year, I had no idea,” said Labayog.

Two years later, she says she and other teachers remain in the dark.

“Even within the last two weeks, I was sitting in a room and a student was with me and their parole officer walked in. I had no idea that the student was on parole. That does not mean I won’t service the student, but I think we need to know if students have been convicted of felonies have histories of batteries of violence and that is something that the district is required to give us and isn’t,” said Labayog.

Other teachers echo her claims on Facebook. One post reads, “I have taught in DSUSD for over 20 years and I have NEVER been told anything about the students who have had violent offenses!”

“When you have more than 40 teachers calling you, 50 teachers calling you sharing similar instances I would not want this to happen to anyone else,” said Labayog.

“We are talking about giving teachers access to information that will mean prevention for them to keep students from getting into situation where they get in fights or they are going to be bullied or there is bulling happening,” said DSUSD councilor Carole Bailey.

With such high case loads, Bailey relies heavily on teachers to refer students who need help.

“I can look them up, I can see what background they have, but the teachers, they don’t know that. They don’t have that information and they need too, because the potential is so great for things to go awry, that can be prevented,” said Bailey.

“I will deal with the problem, I just need to know there is one,” said Labayog.

Desert Sands Unified School District was unavailable for comment for this story. In March the district told us it does abide by state law and informs teachers of potentially violent students.

Manuel Martinez Jr., now 19-years-old, is being charged as an adult and faces felony assault charges by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury. His trial is set to begin in December.