Hamilton Alexander Junior High School

CUT: Part-​counselors, part-​role models, ‘Big Mike,’ others gone from middle schools.
By Kelly Puente Staff Writer
LONG BEACH — For Mike Lilly, a longtime campus security officer at Hamilton Middle School in the Long Beach Unified School District, his job is more than student safety.
Lilly says he also serves as a role model for at-​risk youth and a link between the school and the surrounding North Long Beach community.
«Campus security officers go the extra mile,» said Lilly, who’s known by the students as «Big Mike.» «We know all of our students, and we stop (problems) before they start.»
With the start of the new school year on Wednesday, middle school students will no longer have campus security officers (CSOs) like Big Mike on school grounds. As part of a round of budget cuts in July, the LBUSD eliminated CSOs at all of its middle schools, cutting about 20 positions.
The school district has slashed more than $ 330 million from its budget and cut more than 1,000 jobs in the past four years in an effort to offset severe losses in state funding.
School officials say they can no longer afford to fund certain operations, such as middle school CSOs. LBUSD spokesman Chris Eftychiou said the school district will still have 63 CSOs at its high schools this fall, along with armed campus police officers.
The district does not have CSOs at elementary schools.
CSOs, known in earlier years as «staff
assistants,» are unarmed personnel who carry handheld radios. If problems arise on campus, they provide additional support for teachers and the principal.
Eftychiou said the CSO positions were created several years ago when the school district received a grant.
«When the grant expired, the school district continued to fund the extra positions out of its general fund, but we can no longer afford to do that,» he said.
Eftychiou said some middle schools will see other school safety personnel on campus this fall based on need.
Last year, the district cut CSOs from its eight K-​8 schools, sparking a protest and petition from Hudson K-​8 parents, who said their campus security officer kept high school students from neighboring Cabrillo High from wandering on the campus.
The issue of school safety came into question for some parents in February when 10-​year-​old Willard Elementary student Joanna Ramos died after suffering a blow to the head in a fight with an 11-​year-​old classmate shortly after school in a nearby alleyway off campus.
Speaking before the school board in a meeting on Aug. 21, Hamilton Middle School teacher Katrina Freeman said CSOs play a vital role in preventing school violence.
«When I found out that they were going to take (Big Mike) from Hamilton, it was devastating,» said Freeman, a teacher for more than 20 years. «Mike is a father figure. He is a link between the teachers and the community.»
Freeman said students who hesitate to talk to a teacher or principal would go to Big Mike with their concerns and problems.
«If you’ve ever worked in North Long Beach you understand, this is more than just a feel-​good position. It’s necessary,» she said. «He stops so much trouble before it even enters the school.»
Lilly said he will still have a job within the school district because of his seniority, but he’s still not sure what that job will be.
Speaking before the school board, Lilly asked LBUSD Superintendent Chris Steinhauser to find a way to fund middle school security.
«I know it’s tough, Mr. Steinhauser, the money’s not there,» he said, «but I never thought a day would come that school security would be cut at all middle schools.»