Preventing youth violence was the focus of discussion during a joint meeting Friday between Santa Barbara city and school officials, particularly as both groups prepare to finalize their budgets this month.

The Santa Barbara Board of Education is in a much more dire financial situation -- officials had to shave $5 million from their $125 million budget this spring, with some programs for youth getting the axe.

After the fatal gang stabbing in downtown Santa Barbara on March 14, members of the Santa Barbara City Council are working to bolster prevention programs and activities for troubled youth -- and a big part of that happens in the schools, they say.

“We were able to raise $250 million for a hospital, and that’s great, I’m glad we did it,” Mayor Marty Blum said at the meeting. “We were able to raise $50 million for a theater, and I’m glad we did that. But we should be able to raise some money for our schools, too.”

For its part, city leaders have tentatively approved about $175,000 for youth programs, including money for a Youth Apprentice Program that will serve 80 young people next year. Santa Barbara leaders also plan to eliminate after school activity fees for youth sports leagues, extend recreation opportunities in various neighborhoods, and will increase staffing at the Lower Westside Center.

The city is also planning to spend $35,000 for programs in area junior high schools to offset $20,000 in planned cuts made by the school district.

Council member Helene Schneider made clear that financial help from the city is tenuous; leaders were able to allocate some money over the next years but that may not be the case in the future. She suggested reaching out to philanthropic organizations and forming public/private partnerships for a more stable solution to district cuts.

Superintendent Brian Sarvis gave a detailed report on what the school district is doing for its students, including classes that teach kids to treat each other with respect and stepping up enforcement of gang activity.

“This is a very important, yet complex issue,” he said at the meeting. “There are no simple solutions.”

After the March stabbing, the district added a school resource officer, canceled minimum days and invited a gang specialist to speak on campus, said Michael Gonzalez, director of compliance for the district.

The county Probation Department will also step up their presence at the high schools, and the district adopted a more attractive salary package for campus supervisors -- “the eyes and ears of our campuses,” Gonzalez said.

Council member Grant House suggested school officials make it easier for off-campus programs and nonprofits to inform students of what activities and services they offer.

Gonzalez said the district is considering revisions to this policy, weighing students’ privacy rights with getting them information that might be useful.
The Santa Barbara Police Department has been involved with the city and school district, holding several meetings with leaders after the March 14 stabbing of 15-year-old Luis Angel Linares.

Police Chief Cam Sanchez said the department added bike patrols back to the Westside and Eastside neighborhoods, continues to promote the Police Activities League and is moving its briefing sessions out into the community.

“The schools should be sacred ground,” he told officials. “Kids should feel safe when they come to school.”

The City Council and Board of Education meet twice a year to discuss various issues. House suggested that in the future, they focus on more outcomes that can be achieved rather than updates of what each group has already done.

“The community really expects something from us,” he said.