Parents allege bullying issue turned violent at West Shores High School, demanding action from district

SALTON CITY, Calif. (KESQ) - A group of parents at West Shores High School in Salton City say the school has a bullying problem that turned violent this week, as several students can be seen in a school yard fight video.

Jerson Ceja reached out to News Channel 3 asking for help. He says over the past few months, online tensions have escalated into violence on campus.

"It makes me feel like the school's not safe, especially on the video. You can see they don't have a lot of security," Ceja said.

Ceja shared video with News Channel 3 of his daughter and her friend assaulted on campus. Parents say the altercation led to head injuries for both girls.

Her friends mother, Melissa Mendoza-Garnica, agrees the issue needs a solution and quick.

"At some point she told me that she blacked out, that it was so many people around her and stuff that she couldn't even think. All she felt was hits and blows to her face," Mendoza-Garnica said her daughter told her about the fight.

Holding officials accountable, News Channel 3's Athena Jreij took parents' concerns to the Coachella Valley Unified School District's student support service team.

Karina Vega and Julisa Hernandez say existing programs at West Shores High try to target violence before it happens.

"Before conflict even happens, we already have interventions in place.  So they have social emotional lessons. They have opportunity for dialog. We have restorative questions that are asked of the students weekly," Vega said.

They also say families have been given resources to seek counseling at the school, but parents say that's not enough.

"My daughter can go to therapy all she wants. But if these girls keep antagonizing her, how is that going to help?" Mendoza-Garnica said.

Both parents and administrators say the issue of violence is much bigger than just one fight.

"There's a lot of outside stressors on our students right now. Immigration, political issues, family conflict. We have a lot of grief, separation, divorce," Vega said.

Both families filed police reports with the Imperial County Sheriff's Office. News Channel 3 reached out to authorities but has yet to hear back.